


BOOK 1  THE WEDDING GUEST'S PRESENT  (113/6)

by Mariahtessjojasper



Category: The Wedding Guest (2018)
Genre: F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-17
Updated: 2019-12-18
Packaged: 2020-09-02 11:48:58
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 19
Words: 50,081
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20275423
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mariahtessjojasper/pseuds/Mariahtessjojasper
Summary: The Wedding Guest is part of a certain genre of movie in which a woman encounters a mysterious, dangerous or difficult but decent stranger.  For example, Charade, Little Drummer Girl, Terminator (Kyle Reese), Bourne Identity, Proof of Life,The Accountant, even The Interpreter and Gross Point Blank (though Martin is not a stranger).  Sometimes we learn what happens next to the main characters as in the Terminators and the sundry Bourne sequels. Sometimes we are satisfied with the sequels.  Sometimes not.   At the end of the Wedding Guest, many questions are left unanswered.  Why did Samira leave?  Would she and Jay ever see each other again?  How could that happen? And what further involvement would each have with Nitin, Sammy and The Jeweler.  What happens next for them?  And who are they? Who else might be in their lives? (Equivalent to about 112 pages, single-spaced, Ariel font)





	1. DAY 1 FEBRUARY 13 IF YOU NEED ANYTHING

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Samira and Jay](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=Samira+and+Jay).

CHAPTER 1  


DAY 1 FEBRUARY 13 IF YOU NEED ANYTHING

Samira paces back and forth in her room at the Oberoi, Mumbai. She is in a room with a view of the harbor. The Queen's Necklace. A free-standing bathtub is across from the window. In front of the window is a table with two chairs. She is on the 6th floor. In the hotel brochures for the room, the bathtub is full and there are rose petals floating on the water's surface. Samira's tub is empty.

She looks out at the harbor. We can see it getting light across the bay. We see streaks of pink, pale blue and lavender in the sky.

Samira looks different. Her hair is short. She has a one inch long stitched cut on her forehead. She has a black eye. Her left arm is in a sling. She holds the phone with her right hand. She puts the phone down. Picks it up again. Stands at the window looking out. She dials a number.  


Jay's phone rings. His clock says 02:17. It is dark outside his window. He is dressed in jeans and a t-shirt and standing next to the bed. On the bed is an open suitcase. Clothes, passports in the suitcase. He is packing or unpacking.  


Jay: Hello  
Samira: Did I wake you?  
Jay: No. I just got in.  
Samira: Do you know who this is?  
Jay: (a pause) Of course.  
Samira: You said call you if I needed anything.  
Jay: Uh huh.  
Samira: I've had a little trouble  
Jay: What kind?  
Samira: I tried to sell a stone  
Jay remains quiet.  
Samira: I went to a place I thought was okay. They offered me less than 1/2 of what Nitin's jeweler said it was worth  
Jay: Where are you?  
Samira: Mumbai at the Oberoi  
Jay says nothing.  
Samira: I didn't sell it  
Samira: After I left the jeweler, a man followed me pushed me into an alley and tried to take the stone. I had a driver but he came late.  
Samira: I got away. I'm a little banged up.  
Samira: Deepesh had connections he could sell the stones, but without him ...  
Jay: You need something?  
Samira: Could you come here? Help me sell the stones?  
Jay: I want my share of the stones  
Samira: Okay  
Jay: Half the stones when I arrive or I leave.  
Samira: OK  
Jay: Can I trust you?  
Samira: Yes.  
Jay: No I can't.  
Jay: I'll call you back

Samira is sitting at the table in front of the window. It's twilight. The lights in the harbor are coming on. She is absent-mindedly rubbing her left arm, looking out the window. Her phone is on the table. The phone chimes.  
Jay: I have a flight. Landing 4 pm tomorrow. Mumbai airport. I'll come to you.  
Jay: What is your room number?  
Samira gives it to him.  
Samira: You can stay with me.  
Jay: No.  
Samira: Tomorrow is Valentine's day.  
Jay: Are you looking for a Valentine?  
Samira: Would you be my Valentine?  
Jay: I tried that. Got my heart broken.  
Samira: No.  
Jay: Have the stones.  
Jay hangs up.


	2. DAY 2 FEBRUARY 14   NOT YOUR VALENTINE

CHAPTER 2  
DAY 2 FEBRUARY 14 

NOT YOUR VALENTINE

Samira is sitting in the Fenix restaurant of the Hotel Oberoi, Mumbai. She is dressed-up. Heels, sparkling bangle bracelets, earrings. Bright dress, short. She has on make-up. Bright lipstick. Mascara. Eyebrows brushed and darkened. She has a bandage covering her stitches. It's easy still to see she has a black eye even though she has made an effort to cover it. Her left arm is in a sling. She orders a salad with avocado.  
Waiter: May I offer you complimentary champagne, Miss. For Valentine's Day. She smiles, nods. He places a glass on the table and pours for her.  
Jay appears in the doorway and speaks to the host. Jay is wearing dark glasses and is dressed in a suit. The host escorts him to Samira's table.  
Samira: My valentine.  
Jay: You're hurt  
Samira: A few stitches, a bruised cheek, a black eye, arm sore, not broken. I'm okay.  
Jay starts to touch her face, then draws his hand back and sits down.  
Samira: I've ordered. The champagne is free. For Valentine's.  
Waiter: Sir, may I pour you champagne?  
Jay shakes his head.  
Jay looks quickly at the menu, orders risotto.  
Jay looks around.  
Jay: Nice place.  


They walk toward the elevator. They are a striking couple, him in his suit, her in her bright dress and jewelry, her four inch heels. He is somewhat solicitous touching her back lightly, pushing the elevator button, gentle with her unlike when they were traveling before when he left her mostly to fend for herself.  
Jay steps back and looks at her.  
Jay: You've been shopping.  
Samira: You too. She indicates the suit.  
Jay: Had it awhile - sometimes need it for work.  
Samira sarcastically: Kidnapping in upscale places?  


Samira unlocks her door and they go into her room.  
Jay: Nice. Nice tub. Nice view.  
Samira: Executive Suite  
Jay walks to the table, takes off his jacket, hangs it on the back of a chair. Sits down.  
Jay:Let me see the stones.  
Samira walks into the closet and unlocks the safe. She takes out the yellow dress, a black velvet pouch and a hand gun. She puts the pouch the dress and the gun on the table. Sits down.  
Jay: Where'd you get the gun?  
Samira: He had it. It wouldn't fire or it was empty or something so he hit me with it. I just grabbed it. He didn't expect me to fight back. He punched me in the face. I put my thumb in his eye. Hope I blinded him. Then I kneed him as hard as could. And I ran. When I got a few blocks away I realized I had his gun and still had the diamond. My driver finally came - I got back to the hotel, got to my room, called the hotel doctor. Stitches on my forehead. Strained arm, not broken, sling for a week or so. Black eye. I'm okay. Samira starts to cry.  
Jay reaches across the table lightly touches her hand.  
Jay picks up the gun. Looks at it.  
Jay: It's jammed.  
Jay clears it. Unloads it. Jay's movements with the gun are swift, very practiced. He dry fires it.  
Jay: Piece of shit.  
Jay puts the gun and the clip back on the table.  
Jay: The gun wasn't empty, Samira. He was willing to shoot you.  
Samira: Deepesh knew people all over, precious stones people, buyers. People he could trust. It would have been easy for him to sell the stones.  
Jay:Put the stones on the table  
Samira picks up the dress takes the stones out of the hem. She empties the stoneS out of the velvet pouch. On the table are 11 diamonds 2 rubies and 2 emeralds.  
Jay: Has anyone seen them? Told you what they are worth?  
Samira: No. Just Nitin's jeweler. Just the diamond. The one I tried to sell. In the pouch.  
Jay: Divide them.  
Samira separates the stones into two groups on the table. Slides one group of stones towards Jay. Slides the other closer to herself. 5 diamonds, one ruby, one emerald each. One diamond remains in the center of the table.  
Samira indicates the one remaining diamond.  
Samira: Yours or mine?  
Jay: Should be mine. You owe me for the money you took. But we sell that one first. Split the money. But you'll let me take it now.  
Samira: Take it where?  
Jay: A few months ago somebody I trusted took most of my money. I told you. I'm not staying with you.  
Samira: Well you didn't exactly earn all of it. Just the first 15 thousand. Maybe not even that. On delivery wasn't it? I wasn't exactly delivered. And the other 20? Half of that should have been mine. You didn't have to take me back to Pakistan.  
Jay: You were delivered. I was hired to get you safely to Amritsar. I did that.  
Samira walks around the table and leans in, kisses him. Jay lets her kiss him and kisses her back then quickly pulls back from her. She says nothing. He stands up.  
Jay: Are there envelopes, paper in this room?  
Samira: In that drawer. Hotel stationary.  
She points to the side of the table.  
Jay opens a drawer takes out an envelope with the Oberoi address and a piece of writing paper. He folds the stones carefully in the paper, slips the folded paper in to the envelope and puts the envelope in his wallet.  
Jay picks up the gun and reloads it. He reaches behind him and puts the gun in his waistband. He puts on his jacket.  
Jay takes a few steps toward the door.  
Samira: You could stay here tonight.  
Jay: I'll be down the hall. I want my own safe.  
Jay: In the morning, we need to arrange to go back to Jaipur. We need to get all the stones appraised. And we need Nitin's jeweler to help us find someone to buy your stones. Someone who won't cheat you or set you up to be robbed.  
Jay: Jaipur is a long way by car. Maybe the train.  
Jay: I need to sleep.   
Samira:Why?   
Jay: I've been up for days.  
Samira: Do you have a plan?  
Jay: Sleep. Go to Jaipur. That's my plan.  
Jay walks to the door, opens the door, turns around to face Samira.  
Jay: Keep the door locked. Be sure. You understand? Don't open the door tonight for anyone. Not for room service, not for fire, police or terror attack, not for anything.  
Samira: Not even for you?  
Jay: It won't be me at your door. You took a man's gun. Guns are hard to get in India. He'll want it back. And you still have the stone. You wouldn't be hard to find.  
Jay walks out and closes the door behind him 

Samira's room is dark. There is a loud knocking on Samira's door. Pounding.  
Man's voice outside the door: Please madam. I must speak to you. Open the door. Please. It is urgent. Very urgent. Please.  
Samira turns on the light next to her bed. Picks up her phone. Dials Jay.  
Jay answers.  
Samira: You aren't knocking on my door?  
Jay: No.  
Samira: Someone is knocking on my door. Pounding on my door.  
Man at the door: This is a police matter madam.  
Continues pounding on the door.  
Samira: He says it's a police matter.  
Jay: Don't open the door. Keep it closed. I'm down the hall. Stay on the phone with me. I'll come.  
Jay gets out of bed. He is wearing his shorts. He pulls on jeans and a shirt. Gets loafers out of his suitcase. Slips them on. Gets the gun. Puts the gun in his back at the waist. Pulls out his shirt over the gun. He moves swiftly. Jay takes his key, walks out into the hall, closes his door behind him. It locks. He is at the other end of the corridor. He sees a man knocking on Samira's door.  
Jay walking toward Samira's room: Hey mate. It's pretty late.  
Jay has the phone to his ear. He turns the phone and snaps several quick pictures of the man. Jay walks toward the man.  
Jay: Everything okay out here?  
Man: Sorry sorry so sorry maybe wrong floor - looking for friend.  
He bolts down the hall toward Jay, runs right past Jay, past the elevator down the stairs.  
Jay doesn't pursue him.  
Jay (on phone): I'm outside your door. He's gone. Open the door now.  
Samira opens the door. She stands rigidly. Arms folded. She steps back. Jay walks in. She closes the door.  
Jay: Chain it.  
Samira: Is it him? How could he find me?  
Jay: A dozen ways.  
Samira: What time is it?  
Jay looks at his watch: It's 3:20.  
Jay: Do you know who this is? Have you seen him before.  
Shows her the picture in the phone.  
Samira: I think I have seen him. I don't know. He looks familiar.  
Jay: He wasn't the man in the alley.  
Samira: No.  
Jay: I need to sleep some more.  
Samira: Sleep here. Please.  
Jay shrugs. Slips off his shoes. Takes off his shirt and pants, leaves his shorts. Puts his clothes over one of the chairs. He puts the gun on the table and gets into her bed. Samira gets into bed next to him. Gradually moves closer to him. He looks at the ceiling folds his arms across his chest then turns his back to her.  
Samira: Goodnight  
Jay: Goodnight  



	3. DAY 3 FEBRUARY 15 Mumbai to Jaipur

Chapter 3:  
DAY 3 FEBRUARY 15  
MUMBAI TO JAIPUR

Morning light in the windows. It is gray out. Samira is in bed. She awakens. Jay is standing at the window looking out.  
Jay: Some view. Whole harbor.  
Samira: The Queen's Necklace  
Samira: Breakfast?  
Jay: A tea  
Samira gets up. She is in a t shirt and shorts. Goes into the bathroom. Comes back out. She picks up the phone: Please send up a tea and a coffee and some rolls and fruit.  
Jay sits down at the table by the window. Looking at his phone.  
Jay: There is an express train to Jaipur. It is 15 hours. Or we can drive. 19 hours.  
Samira: Okay.  
Jay: Better to drive.

Jay taps on his phone. I'll find something comfortable, roomy and reserve it. We'll leave in the morning.  
Samira: I'll go with you. To get the car.  
Jay: Okay  
Jay and Samira are at the car rental place.  
Jay gives them a license.  
Jay I plan to drive to Jaipur. I reserved a car on line.  
Clerk: Yes I see that Mr. Ghazi. A Toyota Land Cruiser. A very nice car. We have the car ready. There will be a drop off fee sir in Jaipur.  
Jay: Fine.  
Clerk For how long sir.  
Jay: 2 weeks.  
Thank you Mister Ghazi.  
Insurance.  
Yes .  


They take the car to a hardware store Jay buys a first aid kit, screw driver, a wrench, 2 blankets, a hammer, 2 flash lights. Duct tape. Gloves. Aluminum foil. A duffel.  
Samira: What is all that for?  
Jay: We have a long drive. Just good to have some things. Tools, flashlights.  
Samira: Aluminum foil? What? You want to be sure we are prepared for leftovers?  
Jay: Foil has lots of uses.But I do like to be prepared for leftovers.  
He winks at her.  


They drive back to the hotel. The valet takes the car. Jay takes the duffel.  
Jay:We are going to leave early tomorrow. I'll stay with you in your room tonight.  
Jay: I'll go check out now. You check out in the morning.  
Samira: So you are Mr. Ghazi now. What should I call you?  
Jay: Call me Jay.  
Samira: Is that your real name?  
Jay pauses: If I had told you my real name in Goa. Would you have stayed?  
Samira: Maybe. I don't know. No.  
Jay: What makes you think I didn't tell you my real name.  


They go up to Jay's room. He packs his things, gets the jewels out of the safe, puts them in his wallet. He takes his bags and the duffel to her room.  
Jay: Give me the combination to the safe. She does. He opens the safe and puts his stones and the gun in the safe.  
Samira: Aren't you worried I'll run off again with all the stones?  
Jay: No.  
Samira: Where would I go, yeah?  


They take the elevator down.  
Jay and Samira walk across the lobby. There is a grand piano, bright red enamel, in the lobby.  
A man in a tuxedo is playing softly.  
Jay nods toward the piano sings softly: In a tree by the brook, There's a songbird who sings, Sometimes all of our thoughts are misgivings.  
Samira: What? .  
Jay: He's playing Stairway to Heaven. Led Zeppelin. There's a lady who knows that all that glitters is gold and she's buying a stairway to heaven.  
Samira: You think that's me?  
Jay: Just a song.  
They pause before a 7 foot bronze sculpture. Male and female dancers with their backs to each other.  
Samira: Dimpy Menon. Woman sculptor. Titled Welcome and Freedom. It's in the hotel brochure.  
Jay: Looks like dancers going in different directions.  
Samira: Maybe they have each other's back.  
Jay: Go wait over there in the lounge while I check out. Order me a tea.  
Samira sarcastic: Please? Please order me a tea?  
Jay smiling: Yeah. A tea.  
There are many empty tables. Samira chooses a table for four right in front of the huge windows. She takes a side chair so she can see both Jay and out across the grass to the harbor. The view is splendid.  
A waiter comes. Samira orders a whiskey, lobster carpaccio and tomato and cheese plate. And a green tea.  
As the waiter leaves. Two men approach. One is younger and is wearing an eye patch. The other is older. The second man is the man from the hallway who banged on Samira's door. They take two of the empty chairs.  
Samira starts to get up.  
The older man says: Madam you must remain. I must speak to you. It is a matter of utmost urgency. Please remain seated while I speak to you. Sit down, madam, please. If you do not remain seated you could be arrested by Mumbai police.  
Samira sits, looks frightened.  
Jay turns and glances back at the table as if to wave to Samira. Sees the men sit down. Turns immediately and walks rapidly back across the lobby to the table. The men are speaking to Samira as Jay approaches.  
Jay stands behind Samira. Puts one hand on her shoulder. She reaches up to touch his hand. He laces his fingers in hers.  
Samira to Jay: This man tells me that his brother is a high ranking Mumbai policeman and if I don't compensate him for the damage to his son's eye - that is his son in the chair with the eye patch - that I will be arrested for assault and taken to a Mumbai jail.  
The older man says: Some compensation must be made for my son - his eye is most horribly injured.  
Jay: I remember you from the hallway last night. Did you find the person you were looking for? Mr.?  
Older man: My name is Rishi Kapoor. This is my son Anil. I am here to speak with Miss Zaman. I have urgent business with her. Private business.  
Jay: I am her brother Faisal. Any business with her concerns me.  
Rishi Kapoor: I am not aware of anyone registered here at the Oberoi as Faisal Zaman.  
Jay: I am not staying here at the hotel. I am staying with friends here in Mumbai.  
Kapoor: But you were in the hallway last night.  
Jay: Yes I had come to be certain my sister was all right. She had insomnia. She asked me to come and sit with her. As you know she was assaulted a few days ago.  
Rishi Kapoor: You are mistaken sir. Miss Zaman was not assaulted. She assaulted my son and damaged his eye. I have come here to demand compensation for the injury to his eye. $50,000 American dollars for the eye or we will most regrettably inform the police about the assault and Miss Zaman will be arrested and taken to jail. We would also accept a diamond of that value as payment if you prefer.  
Rishi Kapoor: We apologize greatly to have to make these serious demands on the lady but we have no choice because such a terrible injury has occurred. My son may yet lose his sight in that eye and many medical treatments will be necessary.  
A third man approaches the table. He greets the man with the eye-patch and the man from the hallway. He takes the fourth chair. Jay remains standing. He looks at Jay.  
The third man: I am Detective Sergeant Ranbir Kapoor of the Mumbai police. This unfortunate assault and the terrible injury to my nephew's eye have been reported to me.  
Rishi Kapoor motions to Jay: This is Miss Zaman's brother.  
Detective Kapoor nods to Jay: I have made no formal report in the hope that this can be settled in a way in which no further police involvement will be necessary. I understand that Miss Zaman is a tourist here from the UK and I know that to be arrested and detained in a Mumbai jail and would be very distressing to her. And I am sure that the assault was the result of an unfortunate misunderstanding between Miss Zaman and my nephew. And I assume that Miss Zaman would most eagerly compensate my nephew and his father now that she is aware of the terrible damage to my nephew's eye.  
Samira starts to speak. Jay squeezes her shoulder.  
Jay: I must discuss this matter with my sister. It was my understanding that my sister was a victim of an attempted robbery. My sister herself was seriously injured in this attempted robbery. As you can see she has stitches above her eye. She is bruised and her arm was also injured.  
Detective Kapoor: Regrettable. A misunderstanding. However, Ms. Zaman has not reported an assault to the police. I have checked the reports. Perhaps she has not reported accurately to you what occurred.  
Jay still squeezing Samira's shoulder: Perhaps.  
The waiter comes with the drinks. Looks questioningly at the group.  
Jay: Please leave the drinks on the table. These men will be leaving soon. They will not be ordering.  
The waiter: Very good sir.  
Detective Kapoor: Also a most serious and lamentable issue of a missing gun. My nephew reports Miss Zaman has taken his gun. I myself gave this gun to my nephew and it would be most unfortunate for him to lose this gun which I myself put into his possession.  
Samira starts to speak. Jay squeezes her shoulder harder and pushes down.  
Jay: I have been discussing with my sister the need to involve the British Embassy. We must have some time to discuss this. Perhaps Detective Sergeant you would give me your card. If my sister were to compensate you as you have requested, it would take her a day to obtain either the money or the diamond.  
Detective: There is no need certainly to involve the British Embassy. Allow me to give you my private number. If we can handle this between ourselves, quickly and quietly, it would be most advantageous. He reaches into his jacket pocket and as he pulls his jacket back he reveals that he is wearing a gun inside his jacket. He takes out a small notebook and a pen. He writes a number on a paper in the notebook, tears it out and gives the number to Jay. Miss Zaman must not leave Mumbai until this most serious matter is settled. If she tries to leave she will immediately be arrested and taken to jail. It is my deepest wish that there will be no need to bring charges against Miss Zaman and no need for an arrest and no need for Miss Zaman to spend any time in a Mumbai jail. Mumbai jails are most unpleasant places.  
The waiter comes with their food.  
Jay: Put the food on the table, please. These men will be leaving.  
The waiter leaves the food: Very good sir.  
Jay: An arrest and jail would be most distressing for my sister and for me..  
The man with the eye-patch glares at Samira.  
Jay: We will be in touch with you within 24 hours.  
Samira scowls but says nothing.  
Detective Kapoor looks directly at Samira: You must not leave the city. If you try to leave the city, you will be arrested and taken to jail.  
The men leave.  
Samira reaches for the whiskey. Takes a long drink:  
Samira: Want some?  
Jay shakes his head.  
Jay sits down, pulls his chair toward Samira and takes both of Samira's hands in his.  
Jay: They do not know who you are. They think you are just a British woman who was alone traveling with a diamond.  
Samira: Are you registered as Faisal Zaman?  
Jay: No not registered as Faisal Zaman. Let's eat and then will go up to your room to talk.  
Jay: We need to leave right away. They have people in the hotel. When we leave, they will know. But we still must leave.

They go into Samira's room.  
Samira lies down on the bed.  
Samira: Lie down next to me. Just a little while.  
Jay goes over to the bed. Lies down on his side next to her. She moves toward him. He rolls onto his back. Slides his arm under her. Pulls her close. She puts her head on his chest. He leans down kisses her hair. Strokes her arm.  
Samira: What if you weren't here?  
Jay: I am here.  
Jay kisses her hair again: I have to get up. I have things I need to do. We don't have a lot of time.  
Jay pulls out his phone. Punches in a number. Puts the call on speaker: Sammy. It's Jay. I'm in Mumbai I need a gun. A good gun.  
Sammy: Okay I know a guy. When do you need it?  
Jay: Now.  
Sammy: Okay. Let me call you back.  
Phone buzzes. Jay answers. Puts it on speaker.  
Sammy: Can you pick it up or you want it delivered?  
Jay: I need it delivered. I'm at the Oberoi. Can you have your guy bring it to a room here?  
Sammy: Yeah. Room number?  
Jay gives him Samira's room number.  
Jay: Give your guy this phone number - have him call me from the lobby.  
Sammy: You need help? You okay?  
Jay: Got it under control. Just need a gun.  
Hangs up.  
Jay: Get your things together. We're leaving as soon as I get the gun.  
Samira: Won't they stop us? Arrest me?  
Jay: No one is going to arrest you.  
Samira: Would you kill them?  
Jay: I came here to protect you. No one is going to hurt you while I'm here.  
They collect their things.  
Jay: Is that everything?  
Samira: Except for the stones and the gun.  
Jay gets the gun and his stones out of the safe. Puts the envelope with the stones in his wallet. Puts the gun on the table.  
Jay: What do you want to do with your stones?  
Samira: I'll wear the yellow dress. She gets the dress and puts the stones in the hem and stitches them in. Undresses in front of Jay and puts on the dress. He watches her dressing for a moment then turns away.  


Jay's phone buzzes: Yeah? You have the room number? Okay. At the door, knock. Say Sammy sent you. Okay five minutes.  
There is a knock at the door: Sammy sent me.  
Jay opens the door. A man comes in: I'm Jim.  
Jay shakes his hand: I'm Jay. Thanks for coming, man. This is Samira.  
He hands Jay a cloth satchel. Nods to Samira.  
Jim says: A Glock. One of my own guns. Can't be traced. Not loaded. Two clips. Owe Sammy a couple of favors. You can keep gun or when you're done with it get it to Nitin. He'll get it back to me.  
Jay: Thanks man. I may want to keep it. Can I pay you for it?  
Jim: No. I owe Sammy.  
Jay takes the gun. Dry fires it a couple of times.  
Jay: Nice. Thanks.  
Jay loads the Glock. Puts it in his waistband in back. Puts on a jacket. Puts the vest in the duffel.  
Jim: Anything else I can do for you?  
Jay: You have another gun with you?  
Jim smiles: As a matter of fact I do.  
Jay: Good. Samira could use some close protection. Could you stay here with her while I arrange to get our car and get our bags down. We need to leave.  
Jim: Sure man. No problem.  
Jay: No one comes in but me.  
Jim nods.  
Jay leaves.  
Jim chains the door. Jim goes over and sits at the table in front of the window. Sees the gun from the safe on the table. Picks it up. Unloads it. Dry fires it.  
Jim: Piece of shit. I see why Jay needed a gun.  
Jim looks out: Nice view. Whole harbor.  
Samira nods.  
Jim: You know Sammy?  
Samira: No. I've met Nitin.  
Jim: Nitin's family, his parents, live next door to Sammy's grandmother. I know Sammy from the military. Sammy asked me to help.  
Jim: I know Nitin through Sammy. Has helped me out a few times. You okay?  
Samira: Better since Jay came.  
A knock on the door:  
Jay: It's Jay.  
Jim: Go in the bathroom Samira. Stay there.  
Jim unchains the door. Draws his gun, holds it down to his side. Opens the door.  
Jim: Hey Jay.  
Jay walks in. Jim puts his gun in his back waistband under his shirt.  
Jim: Okay to come out, Samira.  
Jay to Jim: Careful. I like that.  
Jay nods to Jim. Jim nods back.  
Jay picks up the Kapoor gun from the table. Puts it in his back pack.  
Outside the door is a bellman with a cart. He comes in. Jay and Jim help the bellman load the cart.  
Jay walks around the room. Checks the safe, the bathroom.  
Jay: Looks good.  
The three go down in the elevator with the bellman the cart and the bags. Go to the front of the hotel. The Toyota is there.  
Jay: Jim would you stay with Samira while we load the bags.  
Jim: Sure. Samira let me get the door for you.  
Jim walks with Samira to the passenger side of the car, opens the door. Samira gets in, rolls down the window. Jim stands at her door while Jay and the bellman finish loading the car.  
Jay gives the bellman $50.  
Bellman:Thank you. Thank you very much sir.  
The valet is standing at the driver's door. He opens the door for Jay. Jay hands the valet $50.00.  
Jay: Thank you.  
Valet: A pleasure sir. Thank you  
Jim is still standing outside the car at Samira's open window. He leans down slightly inside the window. Extends his hand to Jay.  
Jay reaches across shakes Jim's hand. Thanks man.  
Jim: Safe travels. Call me if I can help.  
Jay nod: Thanks.  
Jim:Stay safe pretty lady.  
Jay leans forward. Takes the gun from his waistband. Hands it to Samira.  
Jay: Put this in the glove box.  
Samira and Jay drive away.  
Samira: You're good.  
Jay: We're not in Jaipur yet.  
Jim goes inside the hotel stands and watches.  
As they leave Mr. Kapoor the father rushes out through the doors and looks after them. He pulls out a cell phone and makes a call.  
Jim makes a call also.  
Jim on the phone: Jay, a man black hair casual dress mid forties Indian guy came out after you as you drove away. Seemed a bit excited. And he made a call. Anything you want me to do?  
Jay: You've done enough. I got it now. Thanks.  
The light fades as they drive.  


Jay: Can you use your phone for directions for us to Jaipur. I've never driven it before.  
Samira looking at her phone: Okay.  
Samira: Are we being followed?  
Jay: Not unless your detective has a team of three or four guys working with him and I don't think that's likely. Probably a family shakedown. Probably they have done versions of this before.  
They are driving in the dark. The big SUV moves smoothly and steadily through the darkness.They pass houses and lights along the roadside. Jay is a skillful and relaxed driver. Hallelujah by Pentonix plays softly.  
Samira: Nitin will help us you think?  
Jay: He'll help us.  
Samira: How do you know him?  
Jay: Friend of a friend.  
Samira: Like a soldier friend? Sammy?  
Jay: Sammy. Childhood friend but we're both ex-army.  
Silence for awhile.  
Jay: Where do you want to stay in Jaipur?  
Samira: Maybe the Rambagh Palace. Could we afford it? Looks so nice there. And this indoor pool. If I get the stitches out I could swim. My arm is sore but probably good for it. Physical therapy .  
Jay: Sure the Rambagh Palace. You'll be able to afford whatever you want in a few days. Two rooms.  
Samira: Two rooms? Adjoining?  
Jay: Adjacent same floor. Not adjoining.  
Samia: Who are we going to be?  
Jay: I'm Saleem Malik and you are Reena Marwah. We are friends from England. Sightseeing. I brought you a new passport. See if they have an in house doctor. To look at your stitches.  
Samira: You're good with the passport thing.  
Samira calls on her cell. Ignores Jay's request for adjacent rooms. Asks for adjoining rooms.  
Samira: They have adjoining.  
Jay: Each with a safe?  
She asks if each of the rooms has its own safe. Puts the call on speaker.  
Hotel: Of course madam.  
Jay sighs nods: OK adjoining. Door closed.  
Samira makes the reservation.  
Jay nods: Okay.  
Samira: Tomorrow. Check in anytime after 2:00. Or we can have early if we want. Just call them.  
Samira smiles at Jay.  
Samira: They have a doctor. Maybe the stitches can come out. I could swim.  
Samira: Do you still want to learn to swim. I can still teach you.  
Jay: Where did you go? When you left me in Goa?  
Samira: I went to Pondicherry. The Miriam Zaman passport was good. I thought of going to the Maldives. Always wanted to see it. That was where I really wanted to go. Diving. White beaches. But I worried about the passport.  
Jay: The Mariam Zamam passport should have been good enough.  
Samira: I didn't want to risk it.  
Samira: But Pondicherry was okay. Good diving there. I found a hotel for 10,000 rupees in the French Quarter. Palais de Mahe. Nice. I thought of going to a hostel. When I was in uni we went to hostels. But I worried about the stones. People in hostels are friendly and relaxed but not so good about private property. I thought someone might fancy my dress while I was out diving. I realized I could only stay in places that had safes. So that cost more. I stayed three weeks. You would like it. I started to call you to ask you to come.  
Jay:Why didn't you?  
Samira ignores the question. Goes on.  
Samira: The people in Pondicherry are friendly enough. Lots of tourists. But not crazy. Not wild. There is music and some dancing. Lots of people to dive with or talk to. I took a diving lesson, learned some new things. Thought maybe I could get a job in a dive shop. Just helping people not as an instructor or anything.  
Samira: Then I went up to Agra and I saw the Taj Mahal at sunrise. And it does, the beauty takes your breath away. I wanted to call you at sunrise, I missed you. .  
Jay: Why didn't you call me?  
Samira: Then I went to Mumbai. The Taj Mahal Hotel. Always wanted to stay there. Stayed in the old section. Suite. Servants come with the room. My own butler. Felt like royalty. You don't even draw your own bath. Someone does it for you. Leave your clothes all over. Someone hangs them up. Rose petals in the bath. Amazing there. Everything they say is true. Atithi bhawaan ka roop hota ha. The guest is god. I stayed three weeks. I spent so much money. All the luxuries. Room service. Heaven. I shopped a little. Cut my hair. Massages. Pedicures, manicures. Bought clothes. Do you like my hair?  
Jay: No.  
Samira: No?  
Jay smiles: No.  
Samira: Spent so much money at the Taj. I realized I was going to run out of money if I didn't scale down so I went to the Oberoi. Still nice but not like the old Taj. I knew I was going to have to sell a stone or a couple of stones. And I tried Bulgari and Cartier and they weren't interested at all in one diamond with a muddy provenance.  
Samira: If I had called you. Before. From Pondicherry would you have come.  
Jay says nothing. Eyes on the road. No expression.  
Samira: I didn't think you'd come.  
The drive on. Pass lights on buildings out the window in the darkness.  
Samira: When I was assaulted I was glad. Not in some sadomasochist way but because I knew I could call you then. And I knew you would come.  
Samira looks out the window:  
They are quiet for a long time.  
Jay: Why did you leave?  
Samira: Did I really break your heart?  
Jay: Yep  
Samira: Separate ways remember?  
Jay: Rent for the winter, 3 months minimum, sounds perfect, two needles in our own India haystack, remember?  
Samira: I broke your heart. You? Soldier of fortune. Kidnapper for hire. So maybe I broke your heart before you could break mine. You know you would have tired of me before the winter ended. You'd have left me in Goa abandoned and crying. I'm not your type. You'd have gone back to England to some pre-arranged marriage to some good compliant devout virginal Muslim girl that your parents picked out.  
Jay: You don't know anything.  
Samira: You made sure of that. I don't even know your name. But here we are.  
Jay: You could go back to England. You can go back. You could go back tomorrow.  
Samira: How could I go back?  
Jay: You could say you were kidnapped and that there was a hood and you never saw the kidnapper. And that Depeesh took you to Nepal and had the stolen jewels and that he dumped you in Nepal and you don't know what happened after that. You say you have amnesia. You could walk into the British Embassy and say you don't remember anything after Deepesh leaving you. People might not believe you but they couldn't prove you were lying. You could go back to England.  
Samira: What about my family?  
Jay:What about your family?  
Jay: You have an education. You don't have to marry. You could support yourself. Live your own life. How does the family have a hold on you?  
Samira: I didn't want to humiliate them. My father, he's an important man, a surgeon. To have refused a marriage contract he had made and announced. It would have embarrassed him. He would have hated me. I couldn't do it. I tried. I told him no. My mother threatened to drink bleach. Kidnapping was the best way. You're Muslim. You should know how it is. You said it was my choice. I didn't want to shame them. And refusing would have shamed my father in front of his friends and relatives. I couldn't do it. That is the point.  
Jay: The point is that it is your choice. It was always your choice. You just had to say no.  
Samira: And hurt my family. I thought it would be simpler to be kidnapped.  
They ride for awhile. Fewer lights. Fewer cars.  
Samira: I wasn't ready to be married. Not to Abu, not to anyone.  
Jay: What about to Deepesh?  
Samira: Marriage. No. Not marriage. It wasn't like that.  
They are both quiet.  
Jay drives on effortlessly.

Samira is leaning against the window her head on her rolled up jacket. She is asleep.  
Jay: Samira. Wake up.  
Samira yawns. Awakens slowly.  
Samira: What time is it?  
Jay: 11:20.  
Samira: Where are we?  
Jay: Samira, We are being followed. We weren't followed out of the hotel, but we are being followed now. I'm certain. There may be a tracking device on the car.  
Samira: Yawns wakes slowly.  
Jay: We are going to stop and let our friends catch up to us.  
Samira: You think it is the Kapoors?  
Jay: Yes.  
Jay pulls off the main road onto a dark side road. Drives about 3 kilometers. He parks on the side. The road is wide, vegetation, bushes on both sides and a grass covered embankment on one side. Jay takes the Glock from the glove compartment. It is still loaded. Gets out, goes to the back of the Toyota opens the hatch. Puts the gun next to the duffel. He opens his bag. He changes into black jeans. He pulls on a black shirt, puts on a light-weight black jacket. Zips it. Pulls out a black watch cap. Puts the cap on. Puts the gun in his back waistband under the shirt and jacket.  
He walks to the passenger side. Samira is sitting up just partly awake. He opens her door and Samira gets out.  
Jay: We need to do this very quickly. We haven't much time. Put on some pants. Something dark. You don't need to take off the dress just pull some pants up under it to protect your legs. Put your jacket on.  
Jay walks Samira to the back of the Toyota.  
Jay: Hurry.  
Samira groggily opens a suitcase takes out jeans slips off her shoes and pulls the jeans up under her dress puts her shoes back on. Puts on her jacket. Jay takes a blanket and flashlight out of the duffel.  
Go sit on the bank over there. Take these with you. Wrap up in the blanket. Keep the flashlight off unless I tell you to turn it on. They will come soon. Don't say anything no matter what I say or do. Do you understand?  
Samira looks blankly at Jay.  
Jay harshly: Do you understand?  
Samira: Yeah.  
Samira walks over to the bank and sits down.  
Samira: Like a picnic yeah?  
Jay goes to the front of the car and puts the bonnet [hood] up.  
Samira: I wish I had a coffee.  
Jay: When we are done here.  
Samira: Do you have the gun?  
Jay: Yes.  
Samira Where?  
Jay: Back. Waistband.  
Samira: Okay. 

A dark sedan pulls in right behind the Toyota. Two men. They sit for a few minutes. They talk. Then open the car doors. They get out and walk cautiously toward the Toyota. One moves to the driver's side of the Toyota, the other to the passenger side. Jay stays in front of the car.  
They cannot see him; he's hidden by the bonnet [hood] and his dark clothes. He stands looking at the motor as if looking for a car problem.  
The men look in the back windows of the Toyota then move to look in the front windows. The man approaching the driver's side is holding a gun down at his side. It is pointed at the ground. The other man has a flashlight. He shines the light into the car.  
They approach the front of the car. It is Detective Kapoor and his brother Rishi. The brother shines the flashlight on Jay. First in his eyes then lowers it. They see Jay, they do not notice Samira. They are focused on Jay.  
Detective Kapoor: You have car problems? Do you need our help?  
Jay: No I think I have it taken care of.  
Detective Kapoor: Mr. Faisal. Where is your sister? I told you she was not to leave Mumbai. My brother saw her leave the hotel earlier today with you. You are now many kilometers from Mumbai. Regrettably I must arrest your sister and take her to jail. He takes out a pair of handcuffs and points the gun at Jay.  
Detective Kapoor: Unless you would like to conclude our business here and now. But because you left against my wishes, the price has gone up to $50,00 American dollars and a diamond of equal value.  
Jay calmly: You know I cannot allow you to arrest my sister or take her to jail. Your nephew attempted to rob my sister and had his gun not jammed he could have shot and killed her.  
Det Kapoor: Regardless this matter can only be resolved with compensation I have discussed with you.  
Jay: You and your brother must go back to Mumbai and forget all about my sister.  
Jay: You need to leave now, turn around and leave.  
Detective Kapoor says: If you can't deliver the diamond and the money to me, I will take your sister. She will be released when my brother is compensated.  
Jay: Beleive me, You and your brother must go back to Mumbai and forget all about my sister.  
Jay: Leave now, right now, turn around and leave.  
Detective Kapoor looks around sees Samira sitting on the bank. Takes out handcuffs. Hands the cuffs to Rishi.  
Detective Kapoor: Put these on her. Take her to the car.  
Rishi takes a step toward Samira.  
Jay: Stop.  
Rishi stops.  
Jay voice louder commanding: Leave. Now.  
The detective points his gun at jay.  
Jay: Put your gun down.  
Detective Kapoor: No I am taking your sister back to Mumbai til I get my money and the diamond. You can't prevent it.  
Detective Kapoor to Rishi: Handcuff her. Take her to the car.  
Detective to Jay: She'll be released when I have the money and the diamond.  
Jay draws his gun. Holds it with two hands.  
Jay:I don't want to shoot you. Put the gun down and leave. Turn around and forget about my sister and her diamond.  
The detective shoots at Jay. Bullet grazes Jay's left sleeve, tears the sleeve. Jay shoots him in the chest then in the head. Double tap. The brother screams nooooo throws the flashlight at Jay and with his other hand reaches into his pocket and pulls out a small gun and points it at Jay.  
Jay shoots him in the chest then in the head. One, two. Jay aiming his gun back and forth between the two brothers walks rapidly to the body of the defective leans over to the detective and kicks the gun away away from the detective. Still holding the gun on the brother, Jay leans down feel the carotid of the detective. Then quickly walks to the brother and kicks the small gun away. Feels the brother's carotid. Nods to himself. Puts the gun in back waistband.  
Jay quickly searches both men. He finds a second gun in an ankle holster on the detective. Takes the gun. Unloads it puts the gun and the clip in his pocket. Finds a knife at the brother's waist.  
Jay picks up the flashlight and looks for the guns he has kicked away. He finds them picks them up, unloads them, walks over to the back of the Toyota and puts them and the clips and the knife in the duffel.  
Jay walks over to Samira.  
Samira: You're a good shot, yeah?  
Jay: Are you okay? Can you get up?  
Samira: I'm okay. Are they dead?  
Jay: Yes.  
Samira sits on the blanket, arms wrapped around herself.  
Jay gives Samira his hand. She lets him help her up.  
Samira is hugging herself. Samira: Are you shot?  
Jay: Mostly sleeve. Stings a little.  
Samira: Your arm. Is it bleeding?  
Jay: A little. It's nothing.  
Samira: Let me see. Take off your jacket.  
Jay: It's nothing.  
Samira: Take off the jacket.  
He does.  
She looks at Jay's arm. There is a small wound, bleeding a little.  
Samira: He could have killed you.  
Jay: No.  
Jay sings softly: All I've ever learned from love  
Was how to shoot somebody who outdrew ya  
Samira: What?  
Jay: Lyrics from Cohen's Hallelujah. Great song.  
She punches him in the arm where he is shot.  
Jay: Ouch.  
Samira: If he killed you what was I supposed to do? Pick up your gun and shoot them.  
Jay: I had it under control.  
Samira: He shot you. He shot you. You let him shoot you.  
Jay: A scratch.  
Samira: Where is the first aid kit?  
Jay: In the duffel.  
She gets it. Takes his arm. She cleans the wound with antiseptic wipes.  
Samira: Hurts?  
Jay: No.  
Samira puts ointment on the wound. A band-aid.  
Jay: Thank you.  
She punches him again in the arm where he was shot.  
Jay: Ouch. What was that for now?  
Samira: Scaring me.  
Samira: Is he really Mumbai police?  
Jay: Maybe.

Jay: We weren't followed out of Mumbai, there must be a tracking device on the Toyota. I need to find the device before we leave here.  
Jay uses a flashlight and crawls under the Toyota. He is gone only a few minutes. He has a device.  
Jay: Only one. Sometimes there are two. I looked carefully.  
Samira: I guess you should have looked carefully before we left Mumbai.  
Jay: I guess I should have.  
Jay takes out the hammer, holds the device on the side of the wheel smashes it with the hammer. Scatters the pieces. Jay: I need to search them and I need to search their car. And I need to do it quickly. We are off the road but someone could come by anytime.  
Jay opens the trunk/boot of the sedan.  
Jay: Besides their bags, they brought shovels and tarps. And gloves.  
Samira: Were they going to kill us? Bury us?  
Jay: Maybe kill us if we had given them what they wanted. The money and the diamond.  
Jay: Can you look through the car?  
Samira nods. Samira is shivering.  
He doesn't comfort her.  
Jay: I'll search them. We need to hurry. Look in the glove compartment. Over the visors, on the floor. Look under the mats. Look quickly but carefully. We have gloves in the duffel. Bring me a pair and you put some on. Don't touch anything without the gloves on.  
She brings Jay gloves. She puts on the gloves. She goes to the passenger side of the car opens the door, using the flashlight looks above the visor. Then looks in the glove compartment.  
Samira: It's a rental.  
She pulls out papers.  
Jay: Take the papers.  
Jay: Are you comfortable opening the bags.  
Samira: Yes.  
Jay: Can you lift the bags?  
Samira: Yes.  
Jay:Take the bags out. Keep the gloves on. Open the bags. Just go through them quickly. Tell me if you find anything other than clothes.  
Samira does this for both bags.  
Samira: Just some clothes. A shaver. Some lotion.  
Jay is searching Detective Kapoor. Takes the holster. Jay goes through the Detective's pockets.  
Jay: Leave the bags on the ground. Could you help me now here or do you want to go sit in the car?  
Samira: Help.  
Jay hands her the holster.  
Jay: Put these in the duffel and then come back here.  
Jay: Then just stand here and I will hand you anything I find. Take the things I give you put them in the duffel Keep the gloves on. You don't need to search.  
Jay searches quickly and methodically, like he has done it hundreds of times. Kneeling beside the detective, Jay quickly and methodically searches him. He quickly removes the Detective's watch. Tries to remove his ring but it is stuck. He hands the watch to Samira.  
He pulls out ID from the jacket pocket - a wallet folder and some cash, a driver's license. A cell phone. Pulls the jacket away and unbuckles the holster.  
Jay looks at the driver's license and the ID. Mumbai Police ID  
Jay: Looks authentic.  
Jay searches Rishi Kapoor. Finds ID. A phone. Also takes his watch. There is a chain with a medallion around his neck.  
Jay as he removes the chain: Sorry buddy.  
Jay hands the chain to Samira. She is holding the IDs in her other hand.  
Samira looks at the medallion: Ganesh. Remover of obstacles.  
Put everything in the duffel in the back of the Toyota  
Jay takes the sim cards out of the phones. Smashes the cell phones with the hammer against the wheel as he did the tracking device. Puts the pieces in the duffel.  
Jay: I am going to leave your detective in the trunk of the car. His brother over in the bushes. I'd like to bury them or burn them but I don't want to spend the time.  
Samira: What about their bags?  
Jay Is there any ID in them or on them?  
Samira No.  
Jay picks the bags up and puts them in the Toyota. It would be better to scatter the clothes somewhere else. But we'll leave them in a trash can somewhere.  
Jay: You okay? Could you drive for awhile?  
Samira nods.  
Jay: I don't want to stop for overnight. I want to go all the way to Jaipur.  
Samira: Okay.  
Jay: But, we'll stop in a little while and get something to eat. Rest a little. When we find something open. Maybe a hotel One Ten. They are open all night. Then I'll drive.

Samira drives.  
Jay wipes down the Glock. Throws the Glock out the window.  
Samira: Guess Jim won't be getting that gun back.  
Jay: No.  
Samira drives on. They come to a brightly lighted roadside hotel and cafe. Hotel One Ten.  
Jay: Stop here. Here's good.

They get out. Jay checks in.  
They go back to the car. Jay takes his bags and the duffle out of the back.  
Jay: Bring your bag. Leave their bags in the back here.  


They go up to the room. 

Jay: Do you want to lie down for a little while.  
Samira: No. Yes. I don't know. Every time I am around you, people get killed. You kill people.  
Jay: Let's go down and eat something. I want to buy some cigarettes. We are not going to stay here long. Few hours. Our things will be okay in the room for a little while.  
He takes one of the detective's guns out of the duffel, loads it. Gets a thigh holster out of his bag. Unties his pants slides them down puts on the thigh holster, puts the gun in the holster.  
Samira: Do you need that?  
Jay: Hope not. 

They go down to the cafe. They find a table by the window.  
Jay: Coffee now?  
Samira: I guess.  
Samira looks as if she is in shock.  
Their food comes, they eat slowly, not talking. Samira looks at him as if she wants to ask something but says nothing.  
Then back up to the room.  


Samira: I think I will lie down for a little while. Lie down with me.  
Jay: No. Have things to do. Jay reads the rental agreement compares it to the IDs and then tears it up puts it in the sink and lights it with a match - it burns to ashes. Samira: Don't you think you might set off the fire alarm?  
Jay: No I got room where smoking is okay. Shouldn't be a problem.  
He flushes the ashes down the toilet.  
Takes the hammer out. Smashes the phones further on the bathroom tile floor. Flushes some of the pieces down the toilet. Puts the other pieces in the duffel.  
Samira falls asleep on the bed. Jay takes a light blanket from the closet. Covers her. Moves a chair forward, sits in it, stretches out his legs, puts his feet on the edge of the bed. Lights a cigarette. Smokes slowly. Watches Samira sleeping.  


Jay wakes Samira.  
Jay: Time to go.  
Samira slowly opens her eyes. Looks at him without raising her head.  
Samira: Okay:  


They take their bags and the duffel and put them back in the Toyota.  


Jay takes the Kapoor's bags out of the back of the Toyota and empties one into several trash cans, tosses the bag in one as well, tosses the other bag one into the back of an open back truck. Takes the rest of the phone pieces from the duffel, puts them in several trash cans.  


They get back on the road.  
Jay is driving.  
Jay: You can sleep if you want. I'll drive on to Jaipur. We'll drop off the car and take a taxi to the train station. We'll stay in the train station for a little while and then take a taxi to the Rambagh. Probably can check in by 10:00 AM  
Samira: Okay.


	4. DAY 4 FEBRUARY 16   STEAM TRAIN, POLO LOUNGE, JAY'S DREAM

Chapter 4:  
DAY FEBRUARY 16 STEAM TRAIN, POLO LOUNGE, JAY'S DREAM

Jay driving. Relaxed. Skillful. Slowly lightening sky. Grey then pale blue. Then sunrise. Far off the their right.  


Jaipur.  
They park the Toyota at the rental agency. Take a taxi to the train station.  
The take their bags including the duffel into the train station.  
Jay: We'll stay here for an hour or so and then we'll take a taxi to the Rambagh. Call them and tell them we would like to check in around ten and that we don't mind if there is an extra charge.  
Samira: Okay.  
She calls.  
Clerk at the Rambagh: Certainly madam. The rooms will be ready.  


Samira and Jay pull up in front of the Rambagh in a taxi.  
Jay and the driver unload the luggage. A porter from the hotel comes out and collects the luggage including the duffel, follows Jay and Samira to the desk.  
Jay: I'm Saleem Malik and this is Miss Marwahn. We have reserved rooms. We requested early check-in.  
Desk clerk: Yes Sir. Certainly Sir. Miss Marwahn. Welcome. We have you for adjoining rooms. The peacock rooms. The bathrooms each have a most beautiful tile mosaic of a peacock. Each different but both very fine. I think you will be very satisfied. Would you like to see the rooms before we check you in.  
Jay: Please.  
Clerk at desk: Certainly sir. Vejay will show you the rooms. We hope they are to your liking.  
The clerk calls: Veejay. Front desk please.  
A young Indian man appears dressed in a hotel uniform.  
He takes Jay and Samira to the elevator.  
The hotel is beautiful old world elegance.  
Samira: I love it here. I want to see the indoor pool.  
Veejay: Would you like to see it now madam or after I show you the rooms.  
Samira: After.  
Veejay opens the door to a room, opens the curtains unlocks an adjoining door from one side walks back out into the hall and opens the door to the adjoining room unlocks the door from that side.  
These are the two rooms. As you can see the adjoining door locks from both sides.  
Jay: Can you show me the safe please.  
Veejay: Certainly sir. They are here in the closets. Both are electronic safes. Very good safes.  
Jay looks at Samira. She nods: I love it.  
Jay: This will be fine. Thank you  
Veejay nods toward the adjoining door: Would you like this door open or closed madam?  
Samira: Open  
Veejay: Sir?  
Jay shrugs: As she wishes.  
Jay: Please have them bring the bags up.  
Veejay. Of course sir.  
Jay: I will be down in a few minutes to check in.  
Samira: Thank you sir.  
Veejay: We will send up some complimentary beverages and snacks soon. Would you like complementary wine or champagne sir ?  
Jay : No.  
Samira: Yes.  
Jay shakes his head: I meant yes.  
Veejay: Would you like to see the pool now madam.  
Samira: No. I can probably find it.  
Veejay walks to a dresser. Opens the top drawer. Here is map of the hotel and grounds. The indoor pool is here. The outdoor pool here.  
Samira: Thank you.  
Veejay: Very good madam. Is there anything else sir  
Jay: Nothing else. Thanks.  
Jay tips him.  
Veejay: Thank you sir.  
Samira: I'll take this room okay?  
Jay:Sure. I'm going down to check in. We are safe here for now. Keep the doors locked when I am not here.  
Samira: Okay.  
She goes into the shower. [She is so great at showering.]  
Jay goes down to the front desk and checks in as Saleem Malik. Gives a credit card.  
Jay; We will be staying 2-3 days maybe a week I think. I plan to rent a car later today or tomorrow.  
Clerk: Very good Mr. Malik  
Jay takes the elevator back up to the room.  
Takes out his wallet removes the stones. Jay puts the stones in his safe also puts in the gun and his wallet. Takes the ID cards/wallets, the guns, the watches, the knife and the Ganesha out of the duffel and puts those in the safe too. Pulls one of the chairs out. Sits down in another chair in his room. Puts his feet up on the first chair. Leans back.  
Samira comes to the doorway and stands with her hands on her hips.  
Samira: We are paying a lot of money just so you can have your own safe.  
Jay says nothing, stands-up and begins unpacking.  
Samira unpacks. She now has on jeans and a loose shirt.  
Samira: Nice bathrooms. Great peacocks.  
She picks up the yellow dress from the bed.  
Samira: My favorite dress.  
She begins picking the stones out of the yellow dress hem. When she is finished she folds the stones in a piece of hotel stationary puts it inside an envelope and puts the envelope in her safe.  
Jay picks up the house phone. Do you have a doctor here in the hotel. Fine. Can you send up the doctor please. Miss Marwah has some stitches she would like checked. > 

There is a knock at the door.  
I'm Doctor Prakesh: How can I serve you?  
Samira: I had a fall recently and had to have some stitches. I also injured my arm. I was told I couldn't swim until the stitches came out. I'd like to swim. My arm is sore but I think I can swim with it if it wold be okay. Could you take out the stitches and tell me if it is okay to swim with my arm?  
Dr. Prakesh looks at Samira: A fall, Madam?  
Dr. Prakesh looks at her black eye, bruised cheek.  
Dr. Prakesh: My apologies madam, but these don't look like an injuries from a fall.  
He frowns at Jay: Forgive me Madam your injuries appear to be from an assault.  
Samira: It wasn't him. He came after the a a a fall. He wasn't even in the country. He came because of the a a fall.  
The doctor nods: As you say madam.  
He looks at the stitches: Yes they can come out today.  
He examines her arm. A swim should be fine. If it becomes painful, stop give your arm another few days. Shall I take out your stitches. I can do that now. It won't hurt.  
Samira: Please.  
Dr. Prakesh: You'll have a small scar there. Though any good cosmetic surgeon could likely improve it quite a bit. I'll send up some salve for you. Use it twice a day.  
Dr. Prakesh: The charges will just be added to your bill.  
Jay moves to tip the doctor. He refuses.  
Dr. Prakesh: No need sir.  
He leaves.  
Samira: I'm going to the pool.  
She goes back in the bathroom and changes into a swimsuit (costume) one piece. She doesn't close the door. Jay can see her reflection in the mirror as she changes into the suit. Jay watches her for few moments, then turns away. She puts on a big white robe over her suit.  
Jay: I'll call Nitin and see what I can arrange. I want to take the ID's and the guns to him today if possible.  
Jay calls Nitin.  
Jay: Hey man, it's Jay. Sammy's friend. I'm in town. I have some things I want to drop by. I also need to arrange another meeting with your jeweler the one we saw last time. Okay - I'll come soon. I might bring my friend with me, the girl with the stone. If that's okay. Sure. Thanks man.  
Samira leaves for the pool as Jay is talking. She goes to the pool and swims laps. Breaststroke.  
Jay goes down to the pool, sits at a table by the edge. Samira finishes and pulls up to the side of the pool. She is rubbing her left arm. Goes under and comes back up as she did at the Samode.  
Samira: Let me teach you to swim. Then when we are done with the stones we can go to Pondicherry or the Maldives. I really want to go diving now in the Maldives.  
Jay: I need to go see Nitin. And rent a car. Do you want to come or stay here?  
Samira: I'll stay here.  
jay: Maybe you should come.  
Samira: I'm safe here. You said it was safe here. I want to swim.  
Jay: For now you are safe here.  
Samira: You don't trust me? You could tie me up and leave me in the room here. That way you'd know I'd be here when you came back.  
Jay: No plastic ties. And if I tie you up, you can't swim. You might as well come with me. So no tying-up, not now, maybe later. Just for fun.  
Samira: And then you can do as you like with me.  
Jay: I could get a hood too.  
He grins his wolfish grin. The grin from the train when she said he would know if she took off the yellow dress.  
Jay leaves. Goes to the desk and asks them to call a taxi.  


Jay walks down the alley to Nitin's.  
Nitin sees him: Hey man.  
Nitin smiles: What do you have for me?  
Jay walks in sits down.  
Jay: I have a couple of IDs, a couple of watches and guns a knife and a Ganesha.  
Nitin: A Ganesha?  
Nitin laughs.  
Nitin: But guns?  
Nitin is surprised.  
My friend tried to sell the stone in Mumbai. They offered her half its worth and she said no. She was followed after and a man tried to rob her, beat her up, trying to get the stone. She fought back. The guy had a gun. She took it way from him and got away. And he never got the stone.  
Nitin: A fighter.  
Jay: She is.  
Jay: When we drove up here we were followed. Someone put a tracker on our car. The men following us had guns. And they had tarps and shovels in the boot of their car. The were very insistent on meeting with my friend. Not a nice meeting planned.  
Nitin: And what happened to these men?  
Jay Unfortunate accident. They will not be needing these IDs watches or the guns. Or the Ganeesha. I had their phones but got rid of them.  
Jay: Their IDs could they be of use to you?  
Nitin Yes probably so.  
Jay: I have four guns. One of the men who followed us from Mumbai had the ID of a Mumbai police and he had two guns. The guns he had are good guns. The other man who followed us had a gun also. The fourth gun is from the man who assaulted Samira. That gun is shit. Cheap.  
Nitin: Guns in India are not easy to get. I always have buyers.  
Jay: Do you have someplace I can get a gun?  
Nitin: Not easy. No. Perhaps in a few days a week I can get a good one for you. Maybe longer. I know some people. The easiest way for you is to go into Pakistan to the tribal areas. There it is easy. Not always easy to bring things back in. I have a contact who brings things in with drones.  
Jay: Is there a shooting range here in Jaipur?  
Nitin: Air guns mostly. Shooting ranges in Darra Adam Khel are best. No air guns there.  
Jay: Darra Adam Khel. I was there a few of months ago. It would take 36 to 48 hours to go and come back. I'll keep this gun for now. Could you get me more ammunition?  
Nitin: Yes. In a few days.  
Jay: The other three guns you can have. No charge. The IDs and the watches. Ganesha. Do you want the police ID? There is such a person in the police. I looked him up on the internet. The face could be the same or maybe not.  
Nitin: I think it is real. Quite valuable. Please allow me to pay you for these things.  
Jay: No payment. I need more help from you. We have stones. We have 15 stones. We need to know their value. We want to sell some of them quickly. Would your jeweler meet with us again and appraise the stones.  
Nitin. Yes but he would charge to appraise that many stones.  
Jay: Could you ask if he would meet us tomorrow? Not all the stones are diamonds. We also need him to help us find someone safe to sell some of the diamonds to.  
Nitin: I will call him. A moment. Nitin leaves.  
Jay waits. His phone vibrates.  
Jay: Hey Sammy.  
Sammy: Hey Jay. Jim help you out? That work out?  
Jay: Life saver, man. Jim's a good guy. I had to use it and dispose of it. Let me pay or replace it.  
Sammy: Not necessary. Jim owed me a favor. If he wants replacement, I'll take care of it. Where are you now?  
Jay: In Jaipur with Nitin. Nitin's helping me with a few things. Friend here had some trouble.  
Sammy: I heard you took some time off and thought you might be there.  
Jay Yeah probably gonna take me a week or more to straighten things out.  
Sammy: I had a thing in Sri Lanka - some manufacturing guy - ended early - all done - thought I'd spend a little time in India before I went back. I wanna see Nitin and see my grandmother. My mom's a little worried about her. I thought I'd see if you were there. Might do some diving down south before I go back.  
Jay: How long have you got?  
Sammy: Maybe a week, ten days. I'll be in Jaipur tomorrow.  
Jay: Are you interested in a job - private - off the books - cash - would take 36-48 hours - kind of an all-nighter.  
Sammy: Maybe. What have you got?  
Jay: I'm thinking of going in to Darra Adam Khel to pick up a few things. Want to take my friend along to show her how some things work.  
Sammy: You need an associate?  
Jay: Was trying to figure out how to do it safely by myself. All about keeping things safe right now. Would go a lot better if somebody like you came along.  
Sammy: Sure man - never been up that way - have wanted to see it.  
Jay: $500 a day.  
Sammy: You don't need to pay me.  
Jay: I'm not. It's my friend's money.  
Sammy: OK. This the girl?  
Jay: This is the girl.  
Sammy: Ah Jay.  
Jay: We are at the Rombagh.  
Sammy: I'm impressed.  
Jay: She wanted to swim in an indoor pool.  
Sammy: Why?  
Jay: No idea.  
Jay We're in separate rooms.  
Sammy: Why?  
Jay: Call me when you get here. I'll be with Nitin tomorrow. Some business he is helping her with.  
Sammy: When do you want to go to Pakistan?  
Jay: Next couple of days.  
Sammy: Okay. Sounds fun.  
Sammy So I get to meet her.  
Jay: You get to meet her.  
Jay hangs up.  
Nitin returns: He wants to know what the other stones are.  
Jay: Emeralds and rubies I think.  
Nitin leaves again and returns.  
Nitin: He says $150 to appraise. And he may want to buy the rubies if they are as good as the diamonds. He says he has many buyers for rubies and emeralds. He says to warn you the rubies even if very good and the emeralds also very good are not likely to be worth as much as the diamonds. He will not cheat you.  
Jay: Okay. When should we come tomorrow?  
Nitin: In the afternoon he said. Come around two.  
Jay: Sammy's coming in tomorrow. We are gonna go up to Darra Adam Khel. I want to pick up a few things. Want to teach Samira to shoot. When we get back from Darra Adam Khel, you can have the fourth gun also. Wait on the ammunition. Can your contact with the drone help us get some things out?  
Nitin: of course.  


Jay leaves. We see him at a rental car place.  
Jay: I reserved a car. Malik.  
Hello. Yes. Mr. Malik We have that car. The Audi. A very fine car.  


Jay pulls up in front of the Rambagh in the Audi. A valet comes out to take it.  
Jay goes up to the room. The door is open between the rooms.  
Samira Samira.  
She isn't there.  
He picks up the phone calls her.  
No answer. He looks mildly alarmed. Perhaps a flashback to Goa when he couldn't find her.  
He puts the gun in the safe and then goes down to the indoor pool.  
She is swimming laps again. She swims over to him.  
Jay:Still here. So no need to tie you up.  
Samira: Could do it for fun. You probably like that sort of thing.  
Jay: Maybe I should have done it in Goa.  
Samira gets out.  
Jay: How's your arm?  
Samira: A little sore now. But it felt good to swim.  
Samira: They have a bar they called the Polo Lounge and they serve pizza in a steam train they made into a restaurant. Steam. That's the name of it. Steam. Can we do that? Do you like anchovies?  
Jay: You want to have pizza, anchovies, in a train car and go to the Polo Lounge?  
Samira: With you.  
Jay: Okay. I think you should change though. Looks at his phone.  
Jay: It says the dress for Steam is "smart casual." Do we have smart casual?  
Samira haughty: How smart can it be? It's pizza and a train car.  
They go up to the room. Change clothes.  
They walk to the pizza train. People notice them as they walk together, gazes linger on them. There is something about them as a couple. An ease, a natural elegance. They do not notice the attention.

They are seated in one of the train cars. Samira is pleased. They order pizza with mushrooms and anchovies. Salad with avocado. Samira orders beer. Jay drinks water.

Samira takes a long drink of her beer: About last night. About the deaths. You kill people. 

Jay: Sometimes.

Samira: First it was the guard.

Jay: What would you have done? He pointed a rifle at us. Should I have said oops sorry let me give you your bride back. Or said okay I surrender?

Samira: But you killed him.

Jay: He had a gun. He aimed it at me. At us. I couldn't allow you to be shot. And I didn't want to be shot. 

Samira: Couldn't you have done it another way?

Jay: Like how? Put my gun down, ask you to wait a minute, then disarm him with some karate move and tie him up? Knock him out earlier and hope no one found him? You think that would have worked? I had limited time to get you out of there and a limited number of ways to do it. 

Jay: I treated getting you out of there as life and death. 

Jay: I had very little information. I came in last minute. I did want to be sure you wanted to be taken. If you remember I asked you several times was it what you wanted, if you were sure you wanted to go to Deepesh.

Samira: You did. 

Jay: For all I knew if you refused to marry, maybe a brother or your father would kill you. For all I knew Samira it was the guard's life or yours. You could have been a captive bride facing a death sentence if you tried to leave on your own. Or if you disobeyed or resisted. It could have been I was your only way out. I'm not police Samira. I don't arrest people; I'm not concerned about civil rights, I don't handcuff people and take them to jail. I don't negotiate. I was a soldier. I did exfils and renditions. I would rather no one was shot. But my job the job I was hired to do was get you out safely. And that's what I did. If the guard didn't want to risk his life for yours, he shouldn't have been sitting on that chair with a gun. I'm sorry it ended badly for him.  
Samira: Don't you feel guilty?  
Jay: No.  
Samira: What about Deepesh? Why did you kill Deepesh?  
Jay: Self-defense. I killed him because he tried to kill me. He hit me in the head with a rock when my back was turned. Did other things figure in? Maybe. I'm not sure. Maybe. Did I kill him because he put his hands on you? Because he didn't care how you felt, didn't care that he hurt you? Maybe. My killing the guard should have made no difference to his plans with you. He was an idiot. Maybe I killed him because he's an idiot. Was an idiot. He could prove he was in England when you were kidnapped. He didn't know who I was and you don't. Maybe because he wasn't at Amritsar when he was supposed to be. I killed him because I was angry. I made him rent the suite at The Samode. I thought maybe if you two were together face to face, he would change his mind about sending you back to Pakistan to the marriage and you could go on with your plan to disappear together with the stones because that is what I thought you wanted. And if he had changed his mind, I would be out of it. I could take the money and go home. You two were a shit show. 

Samira takes a long drink of her beer.

Samira: OK. The men last night? Did you have to kill them both?

Jay: Yes.

Samira: Why kill them? We could have gotten away from them. You figured out there was a tracker on the car. You could have taken it off. They wouldn't have known were we went. Why did you kill them?

Jay: Threat assessment.

Samira: What does that mean?

Jay: It means they were a threat to you. They were persistent. Too persistent. Bent cops have lots of power. Resources. They threatened to put you in a Mumbai jail. He would have done it. Worried they were going to continue to be a threat to you. And I came back here to protect you.

Samira: You didn't know they would kill us. Maybe they just wanted the money.

Jay: Or since they had shovels maybe they were just planning to plant roses somewhere.

Samira shrugs: What about the son?

Jay: No. Nothing more from him likely unless he learns who you really are. Even then. He's a screw-up. Got his uncle and his father killed. 

Samira: Do you ever drink? Alcohol.

Jay: Rarely.

Samira: Will you have a whiskey with me in the Polo Bar?

Jay: I'll have a drink with you.

Samira: What will you drink?

Jay: You'll see.

Samira: So who are you really? What's your real name? Not Asif.

Jay: You know my real name.

Samira: Is it Jatinder? In Goa were you using your real name?

Jay: I thought Deepesh loved you. Do you miss him?

Samira: Who Depeesh? Yes. No. He was a spoiled rich boy but I thought he loved me. I was with him four years. I was faithful to him. I thought he wanted to be with me. But, he was willing to pay $20,0000 to get rid of me. How do I make sense of it? 

Samira: Why did you kidnap me for Deepesh?

Jay: A favor for a friend. Deepesh was referred to someone who hired a friend of mine. My friend's daughter was injured as he was about to leave for Lahore. The little girl was in the hospital, he didn't want to leave her. He asked me to do it. Told me it was an ex-fil; offered me $15 grand. I had some time off. Thought I'd be doing a good deed. Thought it would be easy. No trouble.

Samira: And now here you are. You blame yourself for all this don't you? That's why you came back when I called. Because the guard died and Deepesh wanted to get rid of me. You think you're responsible for me now.

Jay: Maybe a little more to it.

Samira: Kismet?

Jay: What's kismet? 

Samira: Fate, destiny. They say "what chance do I have against fate?" 

Samira: Time off from what? How's the little girl?

Jay: The little girl died. 

Samira: Good he was with her. 

Jay: Yeah.

Samira: But you were a soldier. Special forces. Intelligence. MI6 or MI5 or something.

Samira: You've kidnapped people before?

Jay: Yep. First bride though.

Samira: Kismet. 

Jay: Maybe kismet. 

Jay: Yeah. I was a soldier, army, a rifleman at first. Got recruited for a unit doing covert reconnaissance, counter-terrorism, hostage rescue. Finessed the swimming. They just looked the other way. They needed a fellow like me who could shoot and move about in The Middle East - places like Syria and Libya, Iraq, Egypt places where the average Englishman is noticeable. Being Muslim was a bonus for them. Almost better for them than how I looked. Left the army two years ago. Private now. Work for a guy started a private security firm. He was commanding officer in the unit. I have great military pedigree from my mother. My great grandfather was Gurkha.

Samira: What's Gurkha?

Jay: Nepalese fierce fighters. Bloody. Had special knives. Fought against the Brits. Then for them. When a Gurkha was given his knife, it had to taste blood before it could be sheathed.

Samira: He had to kill someone or wound someone before he could put the knife in a sheath?

Jay:Or a goat. Too bloody for me. Too fierce for me. A British Field Marshall named Manekshaw said “If a man is not afraid of dying, he is either lying or he is a Gurkha”.

Jay: I have his knife.

Samira: Here.

Jay: No but I have a picture of it. And him 

Jay takes out his phone. Shows her a picture of a man in a Gurkha uniform holding a knife and then a picture of the knife in decorative sheath on a stand on a table. The Gurkha knife.

She looks at the picture. It's beautiful. It's horrible.

She flips thru his pictures. Sees the picture he took of her in the hotel room for the ID card in the paisley dress. 

You kept my picture? You kept my picture. 

The waiter comes to the table. Is there anything else, sir?

Jay signs for the dinner and they walk to the Polo Lounge. Sit down at a table. Samira is obviously enjoying herself, the place.

Waiter: Madam.

Samira: I'll have a whiskey.

Waiter: Does madam have a preference?

Samira hesitates.

Waiter: If not, madam might enjoy a Tennessee Whiskey. Perhaps the Heaven's Door. 

Samira: Nods.

Waiter: Sir?

Jay: Laphroaig. Straight up.

Samira: What is that?

Jay: A single malt Scotch. With no ice. Tastes a little like iodine. My boss Terry drinks it. He likes it when anyone will drink it with him. Started drinking it occasionally to please him. Kind of developed a taste for it. Like the name.

The waiter brings the drinks.

Samira picks up the glass: This is like a date.

Jay picks up his glass. They touch glasses. Both drink.

Samira: Do you have a plan?

Jay: Help you sell your half of the stones. Get you good ID. Be sure you're as safe as I can make you. Go back to the UK.

They sip their drinks.

Samira: Let me taste that.

She does. Makes a face.

Samira: Iodine. You're right.

Samira: What about your half of the stones?

Jay: I dunno. 

They are quiet for a while. Comfortable. Seem happy to be with each other. 

Jay signs for the drinks.

They walk back to the elevators.

Stand outside their rooms in the hall.

Samira: Your place or mine?

Jay: You in your place. Me in mine. I've been up most of the last few days. I want to sleep. I need to sleep. To take care of you, I've got to sleep. I'm going to take some sleeping pills. We're safe here. No one will come tonight. 

Samira: Door open though.

Jay takes Samira's key card opens her door.

She looks at him a little expectantly. He steps back. She walks into the room. He closes her door and goes to his door and goes into his room.

The door between the rooms is open.

Jay takes several pills. Then showers. Comes out, a towel around his waist. Hair still wet. Turns off the lights.

Samira is in bed. Her lights are out. There is some ambient light.

Samira: Goodnight.

He walks to his bed. Takes off the towel. Dries his hair. Puts the towel over a chair. Then he crawls into bed.

Goodnight.

A small digital clock says 3:17.  
Their rooms are both nearly dark. A small night light allows us to see Samira get up and walk thru the adjoining door. She stands at the edge of Jay's bed. We see Jay is in very deep sleep - a drugged sleep. His head is thrown back, his mouth is slightly open. He is snoring softly. Samira takes her top off. Slides her shorts down and steps out of them. We see her from the back - she has on nothing. She hesitates for a moment before she pulls the covers back and slides in next to Jay. Without waking he puts his arm around her and pulls her to him. Samira puts her head on his chest. Jay drowsily slides his hand over her breast. He slides his hand down her side and vaguely sleepily realizes she is nude. She slides up and begins softly kissing him. Without waking-up fully, he kisses her back. A sleepy kiss. She scoots over on top of him. Lying full length on him. He kisses her dreamily, strokes her back gently. Jay slowly takes hold of her shoulders and pushes her off him, pushes her down on the bed and rolls on top of her. He shakes his head as if uncertain if he is asleep or awake. He looks confused, conflicted like he wants to stop, knows he should stop, wants to withdraw from her but having her under him, he is caught up in the sensation. He enters her. He can't stop, can't bear to withdraw from her. Months of longing for her won't let him stop. He passes a point of no return with her. Finishes quickly. He falls onto her.

He murmurs: Samira. 

He rolls off her, is lying on his side. Pulls her to him and slowly drowsily kisses her. He rolls onto his back. He falls back into deep sleep.

Samira puts her head back on his chest puts a bare leg over him, closes her eyes.

He awakens groggy: Samira? Am I dreaming?

Samira: You're dreaming. 

Samira in a whisper: You probably took too much Ambien. 

Jay: Nice dream.


	5. DAY 5 FEBRUARY 17 RUBIES, VEUVE CLICQUOT, LAPHROIG, GUNS

Chapter 5  
DAY 5 FEBRUARY 17 RUBIES, VEUVE CLICQUOT, LAPHROAIG, GUNS  
2nd draft 

Jay gets up, showers dresses. Samira is still in his bed.  
Jay: I'm going out for awhile.  
Samira answers sleepily: Okay.  
He takes the Audi. He goes to a mosque and prays.  
He comes back and goes to the pool. Samira is swimming. Jay sits next to the pool.  
Samira walks up the pool steps, walks toward the table dripping, shrugs into a big robe.  
They go back to the room.  
Jay: I had an interesting dream last night.  
Samira: What was it?  
Jay: Woman came to my bed.  
Samira: Anyone special?  
Jay: Kinda looked like you. Felt like you.  
Samira: I had a similar dream. And then I woke up in your bed. Maybe it wasn't a dream.  
Jay: Better be a dream. Because until I have an explanation for Goa, you aren't welcome in my bed.  
Samira: I said I was sorry for Goa.  
Jay: Saying you are sorry you left isn't the same as explaining what happened. Why did you leave?  
Jay: We rented the beach house for three months? “It's perfect,” you said. I thought I could relax. Just relax for awhile. Be with you. Not just in bed. I felt content. Happy. But after two days together you were gone with the stones most of my money and Maria's scooter. What the fuck happened? You were going to disappear with Deepesh. Why couldn't you disappear with me? You can't come into my bed in the middle of the night or any other time til you explain it to me. I came back to keep you safe. But stay out of my bed if you can't explain why you left the way you did. I don't want to be seduced.  
Samira: You don't want to seduced?. Really?  
Samira walks out of the room into the bathroom, slams the door.  
Jay gets up. Goes to the bathroom door. Says through it. “I'm going out. Keep the hall doors locked.”  
He gets the Audi and drives aimlessly. Finds himself at Nahargarh Fort Jaipur. Pulls into a car park. Finds a place with a view back toward the city. Put's Some Velvet Morning (Sinatra and Hazelwood) on his phone. Lights a joint, smokes it with his head lying back on the head rest.  
^^^*^^^  
Jay walks back into his room. Samira at the table in her room is playing a game on her phone. She is dressed in jeans and a t-shirt.  
Jay: We have to go.  
He changes clothes. You wearing that?  
Samira: What difference does it make?  
Jay: Thought you liked the style thing.  
Samira: Sometimes. Not in the mood today.  
Jay removes the jewels and some cash from his safe puts them in his wallet. Samira removes her jewels from her safe and hands them to Jay. You can take mine too.  
Jay: How do you know I will give them back?  


Jay, Samira and Nitin are at the Jewelers.  
The jeweler brings out a velvet pad.  
Jeweler: How many stones today?  
Jay: 15  
Jay: 11 diamonds.  
Jeweler: Put them here please.  
Jay takes out the stones and puts them all on the velvet board.  
Jeweler: Ah rubies. And emeralds. I have many buyers for these.  
He looks at one of the rubies.  
Jeweler: True pigeon blood. Burmese. Exquisite. Many say the stone is Burmese say pigeon blood red but few are. This is among the finest rubies I have ever seen. Maybe the finest. Yes I think the finest. Jeweler: I would like to buy this from you.  
Some the jeweler says in English. Some Nitin translates.  
Jeweler: I can buy this from you today.  
He takes out several small round flat bottomed acrylic boxes with clear tops. He writes carefully on the bottom of one the boxes and places the ruby in it.  
Jeweler: Please. These stones do not seem soft but they are. The stones should be protected. They must be treated carefully and gently.  
He does the same with the other ruby.  
Jeweler: Both of these rubies very fine.  
Jeweler: I would like to offer you $75,000 for each of these rubies today. I can pay you later this afternoon. In dollars or rupees. I have many many buyers who would be delighted with these.  
Jeweler: Do you wish to sell me the rubies.  
Jay nods looks at Samira. She nods.  
Jay: Yes. Okay.  
Jeweler: Thank you very much.  
Jeweler: Let me look at your emeralds now.  
He examines both emeralds. Very beautiful. Very fine emeralds. He places each in a circular box and writes carefully on the bottom. I would like to buy these also but could not do so until next week. Very excellent. About $65,00 each. Perhaps more as so many here seek emeralds. More favored by the women and some men here than the diamonds.  
He takes the diamonds one by one. He sighs and exclaims over the good quality of the diamonds. He weighs each, looks carefully at each. He puts each one in a small box as and writes carefully on the bottom of each as he goes along.  
Jeweler: Ah this is the one you brought me before. Very beautiful. All the diamonds are worth $100,000. Perhaps a little less a little more. All are of excellent quality. I do not know anyone who can buy all of them at once. But I know someone in Delhi who can buy 3 or 4. He may know someone who can buy the others.  
Jay: You are able to recognize the stones one from the other if you have seen the stone before.  
Jeweler: Often yes. Many jewelers can.  
Jay looks at the jeweler: In Mumbai Samira took the diamond to a jeweler and after she left she was attacked.  
Samira touches her check.  
Jay: He had a gun. She got away.  
Jeweler: What was the name of the jeweler?  
Samira:The store was Zoya Raj.  
The jeweler makes a face.  
Jeweler: These are not honest men. Very dangerous. Cheaters.  
Jay: Could Mumbai police be involved with them.  
Jeweler: Yes it is possible. Maybe some. I am glad you are safe madam. You should have come back to me for a referral.  
The jeweler looks disapproving at Samira.  
Jeweler: Please be very careful madam, sir. You must deal only with people you know and can trust and with whom you are safe. You are safe with me and with my friend in Delhi. With Nitin.  
Jeweler: Do you wish for me to call my friend in Delhi?  
Jay: Yes  
The jeweler leaves to call his friend in Delhi. Returns quickly. He will see you. He is eager to see the diamonds. He says if I am accurate in my assessment he will be very happy to buy.  
Jay: We can go to Delhi in a few days.  
Jeweler: I will let him know. He is a good man. Miss you will be safe in his hands. This I promise you.  
Jeweler: His English though is not good like mine. The jeweler laughs.  
Jeweler: May I ask you to allow me first right of refusal on the emeralds. If someone else offers you a better price for the emeralds would you call me to allow me to meet or exceed any other offers.  
Jay nods.  
Samira: Okay  
The jeweler goes into the back and returns with a small black velvet case that has room for ten of the small acrylic boxes. He begins putting the acrylic boxes in the case.  
Jay: We are each keeping half of the stones. Could we buy a second case from you.  
The jeweler leaves, returns with a second case.  
Jeweler: Please accept both cases with my compliments. He puts 6 of the circular boxes in one case, 7 in the other. An emerald in each. They will protect the stones. They will fit easily into your bags or into small safes.  
Jay takes the cases puts them in his back pack..   
Jay: We would like the money half in rupees, half in dollars. He looks at Samira. She nods.  
Jeweler: Can you come back in two hours? I will pay you then.  
Jay Shall we pay now for your appraisal.  
Jeweler:Because I am buying the rubies from you it is my pleasure to wave the appraisal fee.

Jay and Samira and Nitin go to a place Nitin knows. Samira is enjoying the food and the attention from Jay and Nitin. Eats with obvious pleasure.  
Samira: This is so good, Nitin. I love Indian food.  
Jay: Can you help us. I need to get her an ID good enough for a bank account, a safe box for her cash and stones and at least an ATM, credit too if possible.  
Nitin: I am working on something ID passport everything. Very very good. A Punjabi girl died in Switzerland. Car crash mid twenties. She was at uni with my sister. Trail would end in Switzerland. Even if there were an inquiry might be able to claim mix-up didn't die, came back to India. Jasmin Chaddha. Can get birth certificate - can get everything.  
Samira looks at Jay: Sounds perfect.  
Jay: Cost not a problem. How soon can you have it?  
Nitin: Day after tomorrow enough for bank - for everything 2-4 weeks.  
Jay: Tomorrow I'll go to Bank of India and open an account and get a box for me. I want a place to put my stones. When you get the ID we'll get a box and an account for Samira.  
Samira: It should work for a few years  
Nitin: If you are careful that ID could work forever .  
Nitin's phone rings: Sammy is here. He's going to his grandmother's. I'm going to pick him up. But he wants to see you Jay.  
Samira: I want to go back to the hotel and swim. Then if we get the money for the rubies I want champagne in the Suvarna Mahal restaurant at the Rambagh.  
Jay: With me?  
Samira: Of course with you.  
Jay: We can meet you and Sammy after dinner.  
Samira: At the Polo Lounge. I love it there.  
Nitin: Say 10:00? To Sammy on the phone Nitin says: Jay wants to know if you want to meet later at the Rambagh for a drink?  
Nitin nods: Yeah okay. I'll drive him out.  
Jay: You join us too Nitin of course. Both of you.  


They return to the jewelers, collect the money and give the jeweler the rubies. They drive Nitin back to his place.  
Nitin: Man this is a nice car.  
Jay: It is.  


Jay and Samira drive back to the Rambagh. Valet takes the Audi.  
They go up to the rooms. Each puts the stones in the cases in their separate safes.  
They sit at the table in Samira's room and look at the money.  
Samira: Lot of money.  
Jay: Let's put it away. They divide the money. Open the safes and put the money away. Lock the safes.  
Jay: I thought you were going to swim.  
Samira: Tomorrow. I'll just have a shower now. With the peacock.  
Jay: You want the Suvarna Mahal?  
Samira: Yes.  
Jay: I'll call to see if there is a table.  
Jay calls.  
Jay: Nothing til 8:30 is that okay?  
Samira: Perfect.  
They dress-up.  
As they walk thru the hotel lobby to the restaurant people notice them. Turn to watch them. They have a presence. And are completely unaware of it.  
The Suvarna Mahal room is elegant.  
Samira: Has a Marie Antoinette feel to it.  
A waiter comes to the table: Something to drink sir, madam?  
Samira: Champagne. We would like a bottle of champagne. Could you recommend something?  
Waiter:Of course madam. We have a lovely champagne you might enjoy. Veuve Clicquot. It is named after a young woman Barbe-Nicole Ponsardin who at 27 took over the production at a champagne house after the heir to the house died. She was his widow. Veuve Clicquot translates as you probably know as the Widow Clicquot. The champagne is named for her. She was said to be beautiful and strong-willed. In 1811 she produced a champagne that is still favored today by many but especially by beautiful strong-willed women. Of course I am not at all saying that madam is strong-willed, only that madam is quite beautiful.  
Samira says: That sounds perfect.  
Jay slightly sarcastically: Perfect.  
The waiter brings the champagne and pours for them. Puts it in a stand by the table with a white towel over it. Samira holds up her glass. Toasts Jay: I drink to you, whoever you really are. She tears up. My knight.  
Jay drinks: Yep. If necessary, I would take off my jacket and put it across a puddle so you wouldn't get your feet wet or muddy.  
Samira: I think that was Walter Raleigh not a knight.  
Jay: Walter Raleigh was a knight. Sir Walter Raleigh - he was Captain of the Queen's guard.  
Samira: I'm not welcome back in your bed?  
Jay. You don't need to seduce me for me to help you.  
Jay: I want you to think about something. Something is worrying me. The jeweler recognized the diamond and he had seen it only once before. Maybe there is an insurance report on the stones or a police report or both - maybe a reward. Maybe someone will be able to recognize the stones. We must be very careful.  
Samira: We have money now. Couldn't we just go to Goa now?  
Jay: I don't know when I can come back. I'd feel better if you sold a diamond or two. After Delhi you can go back to Goa if you want.  
Samira: I want to go back to Goa with you.  
Jay looks at his watch: It's almost ten.  
Jay signs for dinner and they walk to the Polo Lounge.  
Waiter: It is good to see you again. What can I bring you this evening. The same as last night? Heaven's Door for the lady? Laphroaig for the sir?  
Jay looks at Samira. She nods.  
Jay: Yes the same as last night. We are meeting some friends tonight.  
Nitin and Sammy walk into the room. They come to the table.  
Sammy: Nice place. Just like home. You pick this place, Jay?  
Jay: One of Samira's choices.  
Sammy sits down next to Samira. Nitin sits by Jay.  
Jay: Samira this is my friend Sammy.  
Jay: So you're the girl who ruined my friend.  
Samira gives Sammy her hand, looks at Jay: He looks okay to me, not too ruined.  
Sammy: You should have seen him before. Strong, virile, confident. Very handsome. All the girls wanted him. Now he mopes. Now he doubts.  
Sammy: Are you drinking, man?  
He looks at Jay's glass. Picks it up.  
Sammy: What is this, man?  
Smells it.  
Sammy: Man. Jay what are you drinking?  
Jay: Laphroaig.  
Sammy: That's what Terry drinks.  
Jay: Yeah. Drink it with Terry once in awhile. Makes him happy. Getting to kind of like it.  
Sammy looks at Samira: You ruined him.  
Jay: Even had champagne with dinner. She insists I drink with her.  
Samira: I'm drinking Tennessee whiskey. Heaven's Door. She glances at Jay. He winks at her.  
Samira pushes it toward Sammy.  
Sammy takes a sip of Samira's drink.  
He nods and smiles.  
Nitin: Will they serve beer in here?  
Samira to Nitin: If you were a vampire and ordered it, they would serve you blood and would only ask you if you wanted it cool or warm and whether or not you'd like a sprig of parsley or a lemon twist with it.  
Jay: Have whatever you want, Nitin. It's on us.  
Waiter: Sir?  
Sammy: I'll have what she's having. Heaven's Door, huh?  
Waiter: A very good choice sir.  
Nitin: I'll have a Kingfisher.  
Waiter: An excellent beer, sir.  
Jay: Samira I want you to learn to shoot. I want you to learn a little about guns. Loading, unloading, cleaning. I want you to be comfortable handling a gun, firing a gun. I want you to have a gun for protection when I leave. Sammy and I are going to take you up to Darra Adam Khel. I'm going to buy you a shot gun and I'm going to teach you how to use it.  
Samira: No.  
Jay: Samira, I need a gun I know and trust to protect you. The men who followed us from Mumbai were planning to kill you, me. To get a couple of guns quickly, we have to go to Darra Adam Khel. It'll be okay. You'll like learning to shoot.  
Sammy: I've wanted to go up there. Never been. When do you want to go?  
Samira: I don't want to go back into Pakistan  
Jay: I don't want to leave you here, Samira. I can't go if I have to worry about your safety so I have to take you with me. Maybe go the day after tomorrow. I don't like the idea of going to Delhi to sell $200,00 worth of stones with no protection. We wouldn't ever do it.  
Jay: Let's see what we can put together. Tomorrow or the day after.  
The waiter brings their drinks.  
Jay: We'll be in and out in about 36 hours. You can sleep in the car on the way up and back. You might have to wear a chador.  
Samira: I'm not wearing a chador.  
Nitin: She can just wear a dark skirt and a scarf, she'll be okay.  
Jay: You need to bring some jeans. A long sleeve shirt. I want you to practice shooting in clothes you're comfortable in.  
Samira: I could dress as a boy. A young man. That way I wouldn't be recognized and there wouldn't be any trouble about my shooting at the range. Maybe even a little mustache or a little beard.  
Nitin: Might work. Otherwise you could bribe the guys at the shooting range to let her shoot.  
Jay ignores her. Sammy ignores her.  
Nitin: I think it's a good idea Samira.  
Samira: Am I invisible to them? I'm talking, they can't hear me. Can they see me?  
Nitin: I can see you. I can hear you.  
Nitin: I know someone with a drone. We can get the guns over in in a few days. I'll set it up.  
Sammy: Jay doesn't trust a gun he hasn't picked out himself. Doesn't trust a gun he hasn't fired himself.  
Samira: You know they stoned a woman and her lover to death up there 10 years ago. Not exactly a woman friendly place. It's everything I'm trying to get away from and you're taking me back into it.  
Jay: For 36 hours.  
Waiter: Another round for the lady or the sirs?  
Jay: Please. Yes.  
Waiter: Very good sir.  
Sammy to Jay: Two?  
Jay shrugs.  
Samira tries again: I don't want to go to Pakistan. I don't want to learn to shoot. But if I have to go, I could go dressed as a boy, a young man.  
Sammy: Jay's good. He's a pro. If he tells you learn to shoot, you should learn to shoot. Jay doesn't waste people's time. He knows what he is doing  
Samira: Not all the time  
Jay: Not all the time. But this time I do.  
Jay: Did you say you would dress up as a boy?  
Samira: I did say that.  
Jay: That is a good idea.  
Jay: Could you do it? Get a fake beard, a mustache? We have a couple of days. Some clothes that would fit.  
Sammy: Nitin probably knows someone.  
Nitin laughs: I do know someone. A theater group. I'm sure they have something.  
The waiter brings their drinks.  
Sammy toasts: Qui audet adipiscitur. Who dares, wins.  
Jay finishes: Who cares who wins?  
He and Jay touch glasses. Both drink.  
Jay: We go day after tomorrow I think. Nitin can you spare a couple of days to help us. Could you drive us up to the border, wait for us in Amirtsar.  
Nitin: In the Audi?  
Jay: Sure in the Audi. We'll pay you for your time and any expenses.  
Jay: Sammy and I and Samira will walk across the border, take a cab to Lahore, rent a car, get a room, rest, drive straight thru to Adam Darra Khel. We can alternate driving so nobody gets too tired. Samira you can sleep most of the way up and back. Sammy and I can drive. We'll get the guns. Go to a shooting range. Samira, we'll teach you to shoot. Get the guns to your drone guy. Drive back. Rest in Lahore, turn in the car, walk back across the border in the morning and Nitin you pick us up.  
Samira: Is anyone listening? I don't want to go back to Pakistan. I don't want to learn to shoot.  
Jay: No one is listening.  
Samira: But if I have to go, I'll do my share of the driving like everyone else.  
Jay: We do this my way.  
Samira: But I can drive also.  
Jay: You can drive also.  
Samira: But after Pakistan and Delhi we go back to Goa. Okay?  
Sammy: I'm going down to Goa for a few days to do some diving.  
Samira: I love diving. We rented a beach house down there.  
Jay: We rented a beach house for three months. But Samira only stayed a few days. I stayed a month though.  
Samira: You stayed a month?  
Jay: Yeah. I liked it there. Even learned to swim. I paid for the scooter you stole too. You owe me seven hundred for the scooter. And I paid for the two months we planned to stay but didn't.  
Samira: You learned to swim.  
Sammy: You didn't swim man? How'd you get thru the SAS training?  
Jay: They wanted me.  
Jay: They can look the other way on whatever they want. It's all arbitrary man. I splashed around a little and they signed off. We had an agreement I'd learn to swim but I never got around to it until I was down in Goa.  
Jay: I think you're right Samira. After Delhi, back down to Goa. I'll call Marie tomorrow. If the beach house is vacant, I'll rent it for a year. If I get it, you can use it now Sammy. Samira you can stay til December. Use it as a base, travel or stay there. It will make things easier for you. Come and go as you want. It will give you some breathing room. I'll put in a couple of safes for you there before I leave. I was planning to go back to Goa myself for a month or two next December.  
Sammy: Sounds great, man. Thanks. I'll help you put the safes in man if I'm still there.  
The waiter comes. Can I get you anything else, sir.  
Jay: Check now please.  
Waiter:Very good, sir.  
Sammy and Nitin get up to leave.  
Sammy: Thanks for the drinks man. Samira, a pleasure. Be nice to him. He's not as tough as you think. Or as he thinks.  
Nitin: I'll see you tomorrow about the ID. Come in the later moring. Should have them by then.  
Jay: I'll let you know about the Goa house.  
Sammy: Yeah thanks.  
Sammy and Nitin leave.  
Samira: I think I'm drunk. Most of a bottle of champagne and two whiskeys. It feels nice. You're certain, I can't come to your bed.  
Jay: Yep.  
Samira:You could come to my bed though. Doesn't the alcohol make you feel it would be nice to lie down together?  
Jay: Maybe. You promise to behave.  
Samira: No.  
Samira:You could be purified later.  
Jay: I went to prayer this morning.  
Samira: Did you repent?  


^^*^^^  
They are standing outside Samira's room. Jay opens the door. She goes in, he follows her.  
He sits down at her table. Stretches his legs out. Leans back.  
Jay: Get ready for bed.  
Samira: Okay. You mean brush my teeth ? Put on a sleeping costume?  
Jay: Yep.  
Samira: Okay.  
She undresses in front of him. Puts on her night t shirt and shorts. Goes in the bathroom and brushes her teeth.  
Jay: Get into bed.  
Samira pulls back the covers gets into bed, pulls the covers up to her waist.  
Jay: Lie down. Scoot over.  
Jay gets on the bed with her, lying on top of the covers.  
Jay: Come here.  
She rolls toward him. He kisses her slowly, sweetly, longingly. Pulls back. Strokes her hair. Her cheek.  
He gets up off the bed. Leans back down. Kisses her again lightly.  
Shakes his head.  
Jay: Stay in your own bed tonight. I mean it.  
He goes through the adjoining door to his room.  
Goodnight.  
Goodnight.


	6. DAY 6 FEBRUARY 18  GOOD NEWS BAD NEWS THE CHAIR DOCUMENTS

DAY 6  
GOOD NEWS AND BAD NEWS  
THE CHAIR

Jay awakens in his own bed. Samira is sitting at the foot of the bed cross-legged in her t-shirt and shorts. Samira holds her hands up as if surrendering.  
Samira: I'm ON your bed not IN it. On not in.  
Jay is nude. He pulls on his shorts and goes into the bathroom shuts the door.  
As he comes out, Samira crooks her finger at him to come to her [just as she did when they were lying in bed in Goa]. He walks over to her. She crawls over to the edge of the bed. He kneels down in front of her.  
Jay: No biting.  
Samira: I thought you liked it.  
Jay: Never sure how far you will go.  
p Samira kisses him long and slowly. He kisses her back. [like the kitchen kiss in Goa]  
He pulls back a little.  
She puts her hands in his hair. Twirls the curl that falls on his forehead.  
Samira: Like Elvis Presley.  
Jay shakes his head, laughs.  
He hesitates then puts his arms around her and pulls her to him. Kisses her.  
He lets the kiss go on then finally pulls back gently and drops his arms. He gets up pulls a shirt off a chair shrugs into it and puts on jeans and walks over to sit at his table.  
Jay: A tea or a coffee?  
Samira: Coffee fruit pastry  
He picks up the phone and orders.  
Samira: You say I'm not welcome in your bed til I explain why I left you in Goa. Correct?  
Jay: Yep.  
Samira: I felt pretty welcome the other night.  
Jay: I was drugged. And you are pretty irresistible in the middle of the night. I thought I was dreaming.  
Samira: Why can't we just start over?  
Jay: Cause I'm worried I'm the frog and you're the scorpion.  
Samira: You think I'm a scorpion? The scorpion stings the frog and they both drown?  
Jay: No more like the version where the scorpion stings the frog only when they reach the shore. Stings the frog then hops off. Only the frog dies. That was me in Goa.  
Samira: You didn't die.  
Jay: Felt like it when you left. So is it just your nature?  
Samira: You didn't seem that interested in the stones. Even in the money. I thought it wasn't a big deal to you. I thought you'd understand.  
Jay: I didn't. I did. Stones and money probably not that big a thing.  
Samira: Was it me? You didn't really care about the stones, or the money, it was me you wanted.  
Jay: I wanted to relax. I wanted calm. I wanted to be with you. On the bus on the way to Goa, "Two needles in our Indian haystack", remember? Why did you leave?  
Samira: I didn't want to be married.  
Jay: I don't remember proposing.  
Samira: You wanted a honeymoon.  
Jay: Maybe. Yeah. Honeymoon. You could say it that way.  
Samira: Would you have kidnapped me to stop me from marrying someone else, if you were my lover?  
Jay: I was your lover for two days. But yes, I would have kidnapped you. If I thought that's what you wanted.  
Samira: Do you want to talk about Goa?  
Jay: Do you?  
Samira: I do but I don't know what to say.  
Jay: When did you decide to leave me?  
Samira: You changed it I didn't. It was always separate ways for me. I needed you. And you are a very sexy guy. Til we got to Goa you were distant, controlled, but sexy. Then you were playful. I was attracted to you. But I wasn't planning to stay with you. I left you 5,000. I could have left you nothing.  
Jay: Did you always plan to rob me. Di you ever mean what you said about splitting the stones? Were you always planning to cheat me?  
Samira: I went back and forth. The money. You didn't really earn the other 20,000. I mean you didn't have to take me back. And you didn't deliver me. Well we don't agree on that one. But the morning I left I thought I would need the money and the stones more than you. I thought maybe you wouldn't mind too much. You seemed to care about me.  
Jay: But what about on the bus to Goa. Lying there with you, I felt content. At peace. It was so comfortable. Like being home after a long trip. Didn't you feel it?  
Samira: On the bus, lying next to you I could drift off and I couldn't really tell where I stopped and you began, it felt like we were one person. It was comfortable. Peaceful.  
Room Service knocks. Jay opens the door.  
The waiter walks in: Here, Sir?  
Jay: Fine.  
The waiter sets flowers in the center of the table. Coffee pot. Tea pot. Rolls, fruit. Silver bowls and white china plates with the hotel crest.  
Samira: This is lovely. Thank you.  
Jay tips him. He leaves.  
Samira motions to the table: See how pretty. We could have a honeymoon now. This is kind of like a honeymoon.  
Jay: Is that what you want now? A honeymoon? With me? Not the jewels or the money in my safe?  
Samira: How can you say that?  
Jay voice dripping with sarcasm: Yeah. How can I?  
He pours tea for himself, takes a roll, pulls his chair toward the bed, puts his feet on the bed puts on his headphones.  
Samira: What are you listening to?  
Jay pushes speaker. He is listening to Mystic Queen.  
Samira: I like it.  
Jay leans back closes his eyes. 

*

Jay and Samira are at Nitin's.  
I have good news and I have more good news and I have bad news.  
Simultaneously, Jay says bad news first and Samira says good news first.  
Nitin: First the good news: Here are the documents enough for a bank for Jasmin Chaddha. He passes the document first to Jay.  
Jay examines the documents: Nice.  
Jay hands them to Samira. She smiles at them. Holds them to her chest.  
Nitin: And I can offer you a flat for two years. My sister has a friend who has gone to USA for work for two years, she has a flat wants to sublet to someone. Her personal things are in one room. It's two bedrooms. She has left all the furnishings, linens, dishes, everything. My sister will handle it. No official records but we can use the address for documents for Jasmin Chaddha.  
Jay: Yeah. That's good. That would be good. You don't have to stay there all the time but would give you a home base. I'll check it out. I will put in a couple of safes maybe do a steel door. Extra security.  
Samira: What about Goa?  
Jay: Both. Both are good. Always good to have a second place. I'll pay for Goa. You take Nitin's sister's friend's place. It's good.  
Nitin: Ready for the bad news.  
Jay: Sure.  
Nitin: Deepesh's mother is in India. Says Deepesh has disappeared. Wants to find him. Looking for information. Also says there are jewels missing from the family vault. Ginning up as much publicity as she can. Claims some connection to the Tata family. Going on TV. Interviewing with anyone who will have her. Using PR firms to plant stories in papers and on-line. Spending a lot. She has had fliers sent around. He hands a flier to Jay. She's openly admitting Deepesh was involved with Samira. Samira's family and Abu's are denying it.  
The flier has Deepesh's picture, Samira's picture and says $50,000 reward for information about Samira, Deepesh or a million dollars of missing jewels.  
Nitin: The story the mother is promoting it that her son loved Samira and was either distraught about the marriage and when Samira was kidnapped was asked to pay ransom for her. She kind of implies that maybe Abu had her kidnapped. And Deepesh took the jewels to set Samira free. She is hinting privately though that maybe Samira was in on the kidnapping as a way of extorting money from Deepesh, that Samira and accomplices lured Deepesh with the kidnapping took the jewels and have killed him.  
Samira: An old not very good photo of me.  
She looks shaken.  
Jay: Where did you get this?  
Nitin: The jeweler got one. Brought it to me. He hears that hotels are getting them also.  
Jay: Is he solid?  
Nitin: Absolutely. He loves his rubies and is looking forward to the emeralds. I don't know about his contacts in Delhi  
Jay: We need to check out of the Rambagh. Can we take the apartment today?  
Nitin: Pretty sure is okay. I'll call my sister. See about the keys.  
Nitin leaves.  
Jay: We need to disappear. Right away. First we check out. Then we go to the flat. Then bank accounts, safe boxes. I'll put safes in the flat but I might not get it done today.  
Nitin returns: We can go by now. See it get the keys. You have your car?  
Jay: You like the Audi?  
Nitin: Yeah. Nice car.  
Jay: Want to drive it for the rest of today? Take us to the flat. Then drop us at the train station. Samira, we'll take a cab back to the hotel. I don't want to risk another tracking device. And, I want to be sure there isn't one already. Nitin, do you have a flashlight? I need to go out and look under the car. 

Nitin leaves gets a flashlight for Jay. Jay walks out.  
Nitin and Samira look at each other.  
Samira: How long have you known him.  
Nitin: Known about him a long time. Met him a few months ago. Just before met you.  
Nitin: Sammy was raised in England but would come here to see his grandmother and grandfather in the summers and for family things. His grandparents live next door to my family. Well the grandfather is dead now - just the grandmother. I've known Sammy all my life. Known about Jay a long time. Any friend of Sammy... Jay was Sammy's best man.

Jay comes back in: No devices.  
Jay: After the flat, we'll check out of the Rambagh. We'll take a cab to the train station. Then maybe go to the bus station. Then Nitin you can come back and pick us up at train station or bus station and take us to the flat. Keep the car overnight. Maybe. I hate to impose on you. Would you let me pay you for your time.  
Nitin: No man, I'd pay you to drive the Audi. My wife would never let me rent one. I could never afford to buy one. I'd been hoping for some excuse to drive it.  
Samira: It is always going to be like this isn't it?  
jay: It will die down. We need to be careful just now. Extra careful. Unless you want to claim amnesia and go the the Embassy.  
Samira: No. No embassy.  


Back at the hotel they check-out, take a taxi to the train station.  
Jay: Get something out of your bag and go change. You are wearing blue. Put on something red. Put a scarf on. Or a hat? Do you have boots? Or some different shoes? Then I'll change my appearance.  
Samira changes: Is this really necessary? It seems like a lot of trouble. Train stations, bus stations. Clothes changes.  
Jay rolls his eyes.  
Jay: Tell me again why I came back here?  
Samira: Your share of the stones? An apology from me? Cause you care about me? 

Jay: Maybe.  


Nitin picks them up at the train station.  
Samira: Jay wanted to also go to the bus station.  
Nitin takes them to the flat. Helps bring up the luggage.  
Jay: Keep the Audi - take your wife to dinner on us. Jay hands Nitin $300.00.  
Nitin: This is too much man.  
Jay: Get gas, pay for dinner. Nitin you have helped us a lot. It is not even enough. You can owe me whatever is left. We'll settle up after Darra Adam Khel.  
Nitin: Okay. Thanks.  
Jay: Stay here, Samira, okay. I'm going to the bank. Get an account open today. It's getting late.  
Samira; No I want to come. I'll go with you. I'll open an account too. I'll put $5,000 in an account, the rest, the stones and the cash, in a box. Nitin says my documents are good.  


We see them at the bank. The afternoon sun slants though the windows of the bank. They leave with folders and envelopes and keys and temporary debit cards. 

Jay: Lets take a cab to the train station first.  
Samira. No. Enough of the fucking train and bus stations. And changing clothes. I'm tired. We don't have room service anymore. And there is no pool. I want some food and a shower.  
Jay: Okay. Back to the flat. No bus station, no clothes change.  
Jay is sitting on a sofa. Feet on a low table. Stretched out. Relaxed. Looking at his phone. Samira is in the shower. We hear the water running and Jay glances in the direction of the shower from time to time. [We have seen Jay like this in rooms they shared before.]  
Samira comes out. She has a towel wrapped around her waist. Wearing nothing from the waist up.  
Jay looks at her: I knew you were going to break my heart again.  
Samira sits down beside him: You have deprived me of room service.  
Jay: You deprived yourself of room service. I'm here saving you.  
Jay: Wanna go out?. Like regular people. Explore the neighborhood.  
Samira: We could call Nitin. He'll know some place good.  
Jay: Let's leave Nitin with his new love - the Audi.  
Samira: Okay we'll explore then. I'll get dressed unless there is something you'd like to do first.  
Jay: Dinner

It is twilight.  
They walk the neighborhood. Jeans and t-shirts. Their hands brush. But Jay doesn't take her hand. Still anyone seeing them would believe they were a couple.  
They find House of Han. The smell coming from the inside is delicious. It is mostly take out.  
Jay: Good enough?  
Samira looks at her phone: House of Han. 2,427 reviews. 4 stars. Good enough. And I want beer.  
Jay: Okay. Let's order.  
They order.  
You wait here and I'll go over to the Mini-market and get your beer. Any special kind?  
Samira: Nitns's beer, Kingfisher, if they have it. And get some sparkling water too.  


Samira is clearing the table from the take-out from House of Han  
Jay is sitting at the table. He is sipping a beer.  
Samira: Were you attracted to me when you kidnapped me? At first I mean.  
Jay: No.  
Samira: You weren't?  
Jay: No.  
Samira: Liar. When I was in the trunk you brushed my breast with your hand.  
Jay: You were struggling. An accident.  
Samira: Have you kidnapped women before. ?  
Jay: Exfils. Renditions. Yes. Never a bride.  
Samira: You tie-up a woman have her completely under your control, do you find it exciting?  
Jay: No, just a job.  
Samira: Not even later? A little?  
Samira: Did you think about touching my breast later.  
Jay: No.  
Samira: You said about getting the room in Delhi, 'as man and wife.' When we were lying in bed together in Delhi were you thinking a little about what it would be like if I were your wife. Sexually.  
Jay: No.  
Samira: Were you ever thinking about how easy it would have been to touch me when I was tied up?  
Jay: No. You were a job. You were a package. You were a package I was being paid to pick up and deliver. Just wanted to get it done. Get my money and go back to London. An operation. That's all you were. A job. By Delhi you were part of a job that had come apart. A mess.  
Samira: Lying there in Delhi in the same bed together, didn't you want me. A little? After Deepesh said he didn't want me, didn't you think a little about what it would be like.  
Jay: No. Maybe.  
Samira: You were attracted to me.  
Jay: Was I?  
Samira: You wanted me. You thought about it.  
Jay: Did I?  
Samira: You fantasized about me  
Jay: Did I?  
Samira: I fantasized about you.  
Jay: When?  
Samira: After Deepesh said he didn't want me. And I knew you were supposed to take me back to Pakistan. Lying next to you, I wondered if you would tie me up again to take me back. If you would put the hood on again. Wondered if you would touch me. Like when you brushed my breast. Thought about what it would be like.  
Jay: The whole point of the hood was so you couldn't see my face if you decided to go back. The hood is to make it impossible for you to identify me. Why would I put a hood on you after you'd seen me?  
Samira: That is not the point.  
Jay: It's the point of the hood in a kidnapping.  
Samira: Well it's not the same in a fantasy. Lots of women think about being tied-up, being sexually vulnerable. There are lots of books. Shades of Grey. O. Delta of Venus. 9 1/2 weeks. Me and my girlfriends read them. Parts of them. At uni. Grey sold millions of copies. Haven't you heard of them, read them?  
Jay: No.  
Samira: The number one sexual fantasy of women is being dominated.  
Jay: You've been teasing about being tied-up since we came to Jaipur. About my tying you up. Having my way with you. If being tied-up is a fantasy of yours, it's not too late. I can do that. I can find something to tie your hands. I can find a hood.  
Samira: What about I can't be in your bed til I explain leaving you in Goa?  
Jay:Maybe could make an exception.  
Samira: Do you want to? Make an exception?  
Jay: Do you want me to?  
Samira: Yes.  
Samira: Do you find it arousing?  
Jay: Yes  
Jay: Come here.  
She walks over to him.  
Her long blue scarf is over the back of one of the chairs. He reaches over pulls it off.  
Jay:Can I use this? Tear it?  
Samira: Okay.  
Jay takes a knife out of his pocket cuts thru the edge of the scarf with the knife then tears the scarf into four pieces.  
Jay: Turn around. Put your hands behind you.  
She turns. Puts her hands behind her. He wraps and ties her wrists with one piece of the scarf. He stands-up behind her. Jay strokes her hair, lifts her hair off her neck kisses her neck. Bites her neck gently.  
Jay:Is this what you wanted?  
Samira: Yes.  
He slides his arm around in front of her, runs his hand under her shirt over her chest her breasts her stomach.  
Samira inhales.  
Jay: A hood?  
Samira: Yes.  
Jay goes in the bedroom and brings back one of the pillow cases. Puts it over Samira's head.  
Jay: Is this were we decide on a safe word?  
Samira: Tapioca?  
Jay laughs: Tapioca? The safe word is Tapioca.  
He laughs again.  
Jay pulls out a chair from the table .  
Jay: I'm putting you in a chair.  
Samira lets him guide her to the chair  
Jay: Sit down.  
He unties the scarf, pulls her hands behind the chair and reties them. Does that hurt?  
Samira: No.  
From behind her, he runs his hands over her shoulders moves down across her breasts.  
Jay: Is this what you imagined?  
Samira sighing: Yes.  
Jay walks around in front of her, pulls her shirt up, kisses her bare skin. Kisses her on the stomach moves up kisses her breasts slowly first one then the other. Covers her breasts with his hands. Unhurried. Slides his hand down into the top of her jeans.  
Samira: Do you like this?  
Jay says: Shhh . Don't talk.  
Jay pulls his hand out of her jeans and unzips the jeans, kisses the bare skin exposed by the open zipper. Slides his hand back down into her jeans down between her legs.  
Jay I'm going to take off your jeans.  
He kneels down, slips off her shoes.  
He rolls the jeans down and pulls them off. He leaves her panties on.  
Jay: Spread your legs.  
Jay slides her panties aside and touches her between her legs with his fingers.  
Still kneeling he slides his hand up over her stomach to her breast. Covers her breast with his hand. Kisses her breasts then strokes her thighs.  
Pushes her legs farther apart. Kisses her between her legs over the panties. Pulls the panties aside. Kisses her deeply.  
He moves back from her, takes off her panties.  
He puts his fingers back inside her.  
Moves his fingers slowly in and out. She pushes herself against his hands. Starts to close her legs. Jay forces her legs apart.  
Jay: Keep you legs apart or I'll tie them.  
Samira: I can't.  
Jay picks up two of the three left-over pieces of the scarf and ties one ankle then the other to the chair legs.  
Jay: I want you open to me. I need you open to me. I'm going to pull you toward me. I don't want to hurt your arms. Tell me if I hurt you.  
He reaches around her, holds her hips and slides her forward on the chair.  
Jay takes off his jeans. Stands in front of her. Puts his hands on her thighs. Pushes her legs further apart. Exposing her to him. Bends his knees, holds her by the waist. Pulls her to him. Enters her. Withdraws. Enters her again. Shallowly. Just barely.  
Samira: Stop.  
Jay: You want me to stop?  
Samira: No.  
He withdraws, but strokes her with his hand.  
Samira: Don't stop.  
Samira twists against his hand. Struggles against the ties.  
Samira: Untie me. Take off the hood.  
Jay: Not yet.  
Kneels back down in front of her. Kisses her thighs. Kisses her between her legs. Moves back. Puts one hand on each thigh and slides his hands up her thighs toward her til he is touching between her legs with his thumbs.  
Jay lets go of her legs. Stands up. Takes off the hood. Kisses her. Forcing her head back. Holding her head back by her hair. He puts one hands back between her legs. Forces his fingers into her as he kisses her.  
She moves her head and bites his lip.  
Jay: No biting.  
Enters her again. Moves slowly back and forth in her. Still not deep. Withdraws again.  
Samira: I want to touch you. Untie me.  
Jay unties her ankles.  
Samira: Untie my hands.  
He goes behind her unties the scarf from her hands.  
Jay: Stay in the chair.  
Jay stands behind her, cups her breast with one hand, kisses her neck.  
He goes back around in front of her. She has closed her legs.  
Jay: Keep your legs apart.  
He pushes her legs wide apart, kneels down begins kissing her again between her legs. Samira leans over him, holds his head with both hands. Kisses his hair. Stokes his cheeks. He looks up at her. She leans forward, kisses him on the mouth. He reaches up lifts her off the chair pulls her toward him. He pushes the chair out of the way. It falls over. He pushes her down on the floor under him. Supports some of his weight on his hands.  
He enters her again slowly pushing far into her.  
Samira kisses him bites him on the shoulder.  
He takes his time.  
Samira: Now.  
Jay: Not yet.  
Samira arches her back: Please.  
Jay: Wait.  
Samira twists against him.  
He grabs her hands, forces them up above her head and pins them there with one hand. He pushes against her into her as far as he can, as hard as he can.  
Samira inhales.  
Jay: Am I hurting you?  
Samira: No.  
She moves against him.  
Jay matches his movement to hers. Increasingly intense. Increasingly rapid.  
He whispers her name. Samira.  
Samira convulses against him.  
He shudders repeatedly against her. Says her name again. Whispers: Heaven's Door.  
Jay lets his full weight fall on her.  
Both sweaty. Breathing hard.  
Jay: Too heavy?  
Samira: No.  
Jay:I didn't hurt you?  
Samira: No.  
Kisses her lips, eyes, cheeks.  
Jay: Your cheeks are wet.  
Jay: Are you crying? Did I hurt you?  
Samira: No.  
He rolls off to her side. Then rolls onto his back.  
Jay still has his t shirt on. Samira has her t shirt on but it is rolled up on her chest, breasts still exposed. Samira pulls her shirt down.  
They are lying on their backs on the floor of the flat.  
Jay: Come here.  
She curls toward him. Puts her head on his chest. He slides his arm under her and around her. She puts a bare leg over his. They lie on the floor together sleepily.  
Samira gets ups first.  
Samira: I'm thirsty.  
Jay gets up slowly, puts his arms around her kisses her gently.  
Both are nude from the waist down.  
Samira: Let's go to bed.  
Jay picks up the chair and puts it back at the table. Picks up the pillow case. Takes it in the bedroom.  
Samira goes in the kitchen gets a sparkling water.  
Samira goes in the bedroom. Jay is in bed. He has taken his t-shirt off. He is partially under the covers. He is lighting a joint. He offers it to her. She has taken off her t-shirt. She is nude. She takes the joint, gets under the covers with him, offers him the water. He takes a drink.  
Jay: Is that what you wanted?  
Samira: Yes.  
Samira: Next time you. Hood and ties, hands behind you. in a chair. I have my way with you.  
Jay: Don't think so.  
Samira: You would never trust me that much.  
Jay: No.  
Samira: I could tie you while you were asleep. You are a deep sleeper.  
Jay: NO.  
Samira: Okay.  
Samira: When you have all the control no honey, no peanut butter, no feathers, no whips. No ice cubes. No fellatio. No anal. No dildos  
Jay: I didn't know we had any peanut butter. I start with basics. Did I disappoint you?  
Samira: I was kind of hoping for feathers.  
Jay: When you said untie me, take the hood off you didn't say tapioca so I wasn't sure.  
Jay: What do you do with ice cubes?  
Samira: I can show you. Next time.  
Jay: Maybe


	7. DAY 7 FEBRUARY 19 JAY COOKS, GALE, SAROOSH,

DAY 7 FEBRUARY 19 JAY COOKS, GALE, SAROOSH,

Next morning Jay leaves Samira drowsing in bed. 

Jay: I'm going out. I'll be back in an hour or so. 

Samira: Okay. 

He comes back and begins cooking. He makes omelets. French press coffee. Fruit compote. Has bought yogurt. 

Samira comes in from the bedroom wearing a shift. Her hair is matted on one side. She rubs her eyes. Yawns. 

She sniffs. Is there coffee? She slowly realizes Jay is cooking and has set the table. 

You cooked? You made coffee? You set the table? 

jay: Just trying to ease withdrawal from room service.

Samira: You cooked?

She sits down still rubbing her eyes. Jay pours her coffee. 

Then brings her an omelet. A perfect omelet. Mushrooms, cheese. Thin as a crepe. Spoons yogurt into bowl, covers it with fruit compote. Serves her.

Samira: How did you do this?

Jay: Skillet, eggs, mushrooms. The usual way. 

Samira: An omelet. Coffee. 

She starts eating. 

Samira: This is so good.

Jay: Did you notice the print over the bed? 

Samira: Some Japanese thing. I haven't really looked at it. 

Jay: The Dream of the Fisherman's Wife. A woman with an octopus. Makes me wonder about your landlord. 

Samira: Sex with an octopus? How do you know the name of it.? 

Jay: Go look at it. 

Samira: Are we going to talk about last night? 

Jay: No. 

Nitin is coming over in a little while. Sammy will come later too. It's 11 hours to Amirtsar. I want to get there around 12:00 noon so we can walk across and get a car. I think the best place to stay is The Residency Inn. Do you mind sharing a room with me and Sammy.

Samira: Like a three way?

Jay: No like two double beds. Easy for leaving together late at night. 

Samira: So whose bed do I share? 

Jay: Mine or I'll share with Sammy. Sammy and I have slept in a lot of places together. A bed in the Residency Inn won't be a problem. Just want you to be comfortable. 

Samira: You are really asking me if I want to share a bed with you or sleep alone when all I have been doing for days is try to get back into bed with you? 

Samira: You are a gentleman though. Really. I mean it. You must have a great mom.

Jay: I did.

Samira: You did?

Jay: She died when I was 19. July 7 victim. She was at King's Cross. The Special Forces didn't have to recruit me. I was waiting for them to ask me. She was a teacher. Leicester College. . Me, my dad, my sis. Jay smiles. If I'm a gentleman and I'm not sure I am, it's probably because of her. She had strict ideas about how men should behave. Thought my father was the prefect gentleman. Expected the same from me. 

I watched movies with her for her class. She'd let me watch anything. Italian movies, American movies, French movies. She had a movie, a French movie called The Obscure Object of Desire. I wish I could have told her about you. She would have laughed because I think of you as my obscure object of desire.

The bombings were 2005. You were 19 then. So you must be 33 now. 

Correct. 

Jay's phone buzzes.

Jay: Hey Nitin. No. Of course we're up. I want to keep the circle closed tight. Minimize risk. Samira will do it. You're sure he's all right? Do we say he or she? Okay. Yeah Half hour is fine. I'll tell Samira. Yeah. Introduce her as Jasmin. 

Jay: I have good news and I don't know what news. Nitin is coming and he is bringing someone from the theater troop their costume make-up guy, person, to help you with the look. An American. He is x-military - was a paratrooper. Has a boyfriend here in India, camps it up. Goes by Dorothy Gale sometimes. Likes to cross dress. Says like Dorothy in wizard of oz. Dorothy's last name in the book was Gale. Name is Mike. Sammy knows him. Nitin says he can be trusted. 

Samira: Dorothy Mike Gale ? A paratrooper? 

Jay: Former I guess.

Samira: An American?

Jay: Current.

Samira: When?

Jay: 1/2 hour. 

Samira goes to dress. 

Nitin and Mike Gale arrive. Mike is nearly Jay's height. He has on lavender eye shadow and long false eyelashes. He is dressed in a tight t-shirt and skin tight jeans. His t-shirt says “I like my whiskey straight, but my friends can go either way.” He carries a large bag. 

Jay: I'm Jay. This is Jasmin. 

Mike Gale: Just call me Gale - works either way. 

He smiles bats his eyelashes at them. 

He embraces first Jasmin then Jay. 

Gale: to Samira: So you want to cross the gender line?

Samira: Yes for a day or two. 

Gale: Turn around. Let me see what I have to work with. 

Gale: Do I smell coffee?

Jay: Samira er Jasmin just finished some. But I can make you some more. 

Gale: Could you? I love India but I can't get a decent cup of coffee except at the big expensive hotels. I have to go to Seattle or San Francisco to have a coffee binge. Shatters my nerves but am in heaven. I could fly down to a Starbucks in Mumbai but really Indians just can't make decent coffee. The have no natural feel for it. Unlike say the French. No offense Nitin.

Nitin: None taken. 

Jay begins making coffee. 

Gale to Samira: Pull your shirt tight. Turn all the way around slowly. Look at me. 

Gale: Did you have a look you were thinking of? 

Jay: We are going into Darra Adam Khel. 

Nitin: They are buying guns. The want to teach Samira to shoot.

Gale: Who is Samira? 

Samira: I'm Samira and Jasmin. Call me either one. 

Gale: So you want to be a guy in the tribal areas? A disguise so you can buy a gun and shoot at a range without any trouble?

Jay: That's it. 

Jay looks at Gale. Anything in your coffee? Sugar? Milk?

Gale: Cream is best. But a little milk will do. 

Jay: I have cream. I cooked this morning. 

Jay hands the cup of coffee to Gale then hands him a small carton of cream. He adds the cream takes a long drink. Long appreciative sigh. Obviously enjoying it. How long are you here for? I'm coming every morning now for this. She puts the cup down. 

Gale: So the tribal area huh? Something ethnic, understated, soft colors browns, comfortable loose but form fitting up top enough for the gun range. 

Jay: I need to pick up some things. Samira Jasmin needs a safe here. We just moved in. Okay if Nitin and I take off for a little while and leave you two to it. 

Samira looks at Gale. Gale nods. 

Samira: Okay

Gale: When you return Samira Jasmin will have disappeared and Saroosh will be here. Prepare to be amazed. 

Gale to Samira: Is Saroosh okay for your male alter ego?

Samira: Fine. 

Jay and Nitin leave. 

They return with bags and a box. As they open the door they hear laughter and giggling.

Gale: Don't look. Shut your eyes. Saroosh, Go sit on the couch. 

Gale: Okay look now. 

Samira is sitting on the couch, transformed. She has a small mustache, a short brown neatly trimmed beard, a tribal hat pushed slightly to one side and loose fitting pants and a shirt. She is barefoot. 

Gale: We're still working on the shoes. Just dark Vans or Keds or something will have to do. 

Gale: She can wear a t-shirt under the shirt for shooting. She can pull off the blouse. 

Jay: Impressive. 

Gale: But her breasts will show if the t-shirt is very tight. You may have to pull it tight for her to shoot. Men at the range will notice. We can bind her breasts make her flat chested but it will be uncomfortable especially if she has to stay that way for a long period of time. Are you going for a shotgun? 

Jay: Yeah. 

Gale: Samira-Jasmin stand up and walk across the room they way I taught you. No wiggle, no sway.

Samira walks across the room - a masculine stride. 

Nitin: Looks like a different person. 

Gale: Of course. My work here is done. 

Jay: Maybe not. I found a flier when we were out. It's for a band. 

Jay takes a flier out of one of the bags. It shows a 5 person band with a lead girl singer in a halter top, very short skirt and pink spiked hair. This band is touring. They've been in Nepal. One night here then in Delhi next week. Gale could you make Samira uh Jasmin look like this? 

Gale: Oh my god yes. It would be quite easy - just a bit of wardrobe really. 

Everyone looks at Jay.

Jay: We have some business in Dehli in a few days. It would be good if the business were to be conducted by someone who could be mistaken for the girl in the flier. 

Gale: If you want Samira-Jasmin to look like that, I can do it. A pink wig. 

Jay looking at Samira: Does she need to stay like this now. Can she take the beard and the mustache off and on. 

Gale: It comes off easily. It shouldn't irritate the skin to leave it on. It's a gentle adhesive. It's not so easy to put on. You need good light and a little time. Samira-jasmin could easily put them on herself. She has the skill. 

Jay looks at Samira.

Samira: I'll leave it on for awhile. It's kind of fun. Could we go out for lunch. I want to try it out in public. Let me find some shoes. 

Gale: I can't stay. If you want to do pink haired band girl call me. 

Gale embraces Samira. Good luck darling. Stay safe.

He shakes Jay's hand. Grip Jay's hand firmly. Nods to Nitin. 

Jay: Please let us pay you for your time. 

Gale: No. Just owe me a favor. I know who you are, what you are, Jay. A favor on the books with you is more valuable, worth more to me. 

Jay: A favor on the books, then.

Nitin: Do you need a ride somewhere?

Dorothy: No I'm good.

Jay: Nitin where can we take Sarook. 

Nitin: I know a place. 

Samira: It's Saroosh. 

Jay: Nitin call Sammy see if he can meet us. 

Samira: He orders everyone around. 

They are in an outdoor market. 

Samira is obviously enjoying herself. Spreading out her arms and legs taking up extra space. Being manly about it. A more American or British manly than Indian.

Sammy walks up to their table. Greets Jay and Nitin. Ignores Samira.

Jay: Sammy this is our new friend Sarook.

Samira voice pitched low: Saroosh. 

She stands up. Sticks her hand out aggressively toward Sammy. Sammy looks a little annoyed, put off, then suddenly realizes he is looking at Samira. 

He laughs. Samira? It's you? 

Samira: It's me. Well me as Saroosh.

Sammy: Could be a bit interesting tonight in the bedroom eh Jay. 

Samira herself again: It's good no? Really good.  


Sammy: It's very good. 

He laughs. 

Jay: Unfolds a map. 11 hours to Amritsar. I want to cross the border in the early afternoon, rent a car, get a hotel room in Lahore, sleep for a few hours and leave for Darra Adam Kehl say 2 AM. We'll be there by 8 or 9. Buy the guns, go to the range for a couple of hours. Drive back to Lahore. Turn in the car. Sleep for awhile. Walk back across the border in the morning right after it opens. Nitin can pick us up. 

Jay: Can we leave tonight?

Sammy: Okay fine. 

Nitin: I can do that.

Samira: Okay.

Sammy:At dawn we ride. 

Sammy: It's a good look Samira. 

Jay: Okay pick up at 11:30. 

Jay: Let's go Sarook. I need to put in the safe before we go.

Samira shrugs. 

Jay winks at Nitin and Sammy.

Jay and Samira are back in the flat. 

Jay sits on the sofa his long legs stretched out on the low table in front of the couch.: Come here. 

Samira still wearing her mustache and little beard: Come here? 

Samira: What? Like I am supposed to obey my master's command? 

Jay: I slipped back into thinking about last night for a minute. 

Jay: My obscure object of desire, heart of my heart, love of my soul, come here.

Samira: Heart of your heart? Love of your soul? Not welcome in your bed though? 

Jay gets up walks over to Samira. Puts his arms around her: I could make another exception. "

Jay: Last night we didn't get to fellatio. It could fit with your disguise. 

^^^*^^^

11:25 PM. Nitin pulls up in front. Calls Jay from the car: Your ride's here. 

Samira and Jay come down. Samira has a small bag. Jay has his back pack. 

Jay: How do you want to do the driving, Nitin? 4 of us 11 hours. 2.75 hours each? 

Sammy laughs: How about we round it off to three hours each. You first Nitin. 

Jay: Okay. Then you Sammy then me then Samira . 

Sammy and Samira get in the back seat. Nitin gets in the driver's side. Jay on the front passenger seat.

Nitin is driving. Sammy next to him looking at his phone. Samira and Jay are in the backseat. Samira is lying across the seat under a lightweight blanket, her head in Jay's lap. Jay has his hand under the blanket. Jay is listening to something on his phone, has ear buds in. 

Samira looks up at him: What's that? 

He shifts to speaker 

Jay: It's You Belong to the City 

Living in a river of darkness beneath the neon lights. 

Samira: We are moving thru a river of darkness. 

Jay leans over face full of tenderness and kisses her: We are. 

Samira: Who plays that? 

Glenn Frye wrote it. Recorded it with the Eagles. 

Samira: So you like, what, 70s music. 

Jay: My dad loves American 70s, 80s music. He went to college in Berkeley. He has a love/hate with Americans, but loves their music especially anything with a saxophone. Used to play it alot. I do like it. 

Jay shrugs. 

Jay: De gustibus not est disputandum. 

Samira: What does that mean? 

Jay: No accounting for taste. 

Samira: Do you know Latin? 

Jay: A little here and there. 

Jay: You have a pharmacy degree. You probably know some Latin. 

Samira: Names of medicines. 

Leave it on speaker . 

Samira closes her eyes. Listens 

Samira says again softly: Living in a river of darkness. 


	8. DAY 8 FEBRUARY 20 JAIPUR  MOVING THROUGH A RIVER OF DARKNESS AMRITSAR  LAHORE

Samira is driving. Nitin is front, dozing against the window.

Sammy and Jay are in the back.

Sammy: She's not a bad driver. 

Jay nods. Not bad at all. 

Samira: What time is it? 

Jay: About 6 Am 

Samira: Where are we? 

Jay looks at his phone: Just east of Fatehabad. 

Samira: We need gas. 

Jay: Okay. I'll find a place. . 

Sammy is driving, Nitin in front, looking at his phone. Texting. 

Jay and Samira are in the back again. 

Jay has his arm around Samira. Pulls her toward him kisses her [like the kissing at the Goa house]. Jay keeps one arm around her. The other hand, he slides inside her shirt. 

Sammy looks in the rear-view mirror.

Sammy: Hey I can see you two. No snogging in my back seat. What are you a couple of 14 year olds?  


Jay laughs moves his hand, pulls back. 

^^^*^^^

They get to Amritsar. It's 11:45/. 

Nitin drops them: Your documents are good. Shouldn't be any problems. I'll call my friend with the drone. Let me know when you're ready to meet him. And when you want me to pick you up.

They walk across the border. No problems - no line.

Perfect documents, courtesy of Nitin. UK passports. Jay and Samira as husband and wife. Going to a wedding. Sammy as a cousin also from the UK. Wedding invitation with them. [add detail earlier for this] 

^^^*^^^^

Taxi to Residency Inn. 

Samira. It has a pool. 

Jay: I thought I told you. 

They check in. Two days. They carry their own bags up. 

Sammy: In the rear view mirror watching you two act like 14 year olds, I thought you might like the room to yourselves for awhile. 

Jay: Thanks, man. 

Sammy: Sure. I'll go rent the car. I'll bring back something for us to eat. 

In the room Samira looks at both beds. 

We'll take this bed. 

Sammy as he walks out the door: Sure, either bed is fine with me. /p> 

Jay lies down on the bed Samira picked. Puts his arms behind his head. Turns on his side.

Samira is standing near the bed. 

Jay says:Take off your clothes.

Samira looks as if she might laugh. Shakes her head at him.

You give orders. 

Jay: I'm waiting.

Samira pulls her t-shirt off. Steps out of her jeans. Steps out of her panties. 

Sammy opens the door 

Sammy: I forgot my....

He stops mid-sentence, sees Samira.

He looks directly at her.

Sammy: Oops sorry. You're beautiful Samira. Make him tell you how beautiful you are.

Sammy grabs his wallet from the table and goes back out. 

Sammy looks back in. Maybe good idea to put the chain up til you're done. 

Sammy leaves again.

Samira: So what is this sex where I undress but you don't? 

Jay: Get on the bed. 

Pulls her close. 

Jay: Just wanted to see you. Like looking at you. Sammy's right. You're beautiful. 

Jay stands up undresses next to the bed 

Jay: We have an hour before Sammy comes back

Samira: You are so tender. How do you kill people? 

Jay: I don't kill people. In some situations I have to do what is necessary. Do we have to talk about this now.? 

He kisses her. 

Samira: But I mean how do you ... 

Stop talking. We only have a little while til dad comes back.

^^^*^^^

Sammy knocks on the door.

I brought dinner. I got a car. A Honda. Nice little car but it's no Audie. 

Samira: I am going to take a shower.

Jay and Sammy sit at the table.

Sammy: She's beautiful man. 

Jay: Yah

Sammy: Gonna break your heart again?

Jay: Probably. Not an addiction. More a craving. 

Sammy: In love with her? 

Sammy: Listen man I've known you a long time. This girl isn't your type. You need someone like Amelia 

Jay: There's no one like Amelia. I don't know how you hold on to her.

Sammy: She stays for the kids. 

Jay laughs: I figured. 

Sammy: And the sex.

Jay laughs again. 

Sammy: Listen man. Are you tough enough? If she leaves again? 

Jay: I'll be okay. I just want a little more time with her. 

Jay: Never felt like this about anyone.

Sammy: Bolt of lightening?

Jay: Not a bolt of lightening. At first just extra-interested. Curious. She was compliant with whatever I told her. Put your scarf on. Stay here. We're going to Delhi. She'd just look at me then say okay but she was also sarcastic, annoyed. Haughty. Almost made me laugh. I liked looking at her, watching her. I knew I was attracted to her. Knew she was off-limits. But liked being near her. Liked listening to her talk. Wanted to touch her. When I was taking her out of the trunk, I accidentally brushed her breasts with my hand. She was struggling, I was trying to control her. Couldn't stop thinking about it. Later in Delhi lying in the same bed with her, I thought about what it would be like to touch her, kiss her, had to shut down the thoughts, keep my arms folded and turn away from her. But also felt protective. Kind of brotherly. Wanted things to be okay for her. She cried after Deepesh said he didn't want her any more. Nearly broke my heart. I wanted her to be happy, have whatever she wanted. But I wanted her, ached for her, but she also terrified me. Then 32 hours next to her on buses from Jaipur to Goa. Her head on my chest, my arm around her or just sitting next to her, her looking out the window. Her sleeping. Could hear her breathing, feel her next to me. Almost couldn't tell where I stopped and she began. Most at peace ever felt. Later sex with her in the beach house in Goa. Nothing like it ever before for me. Sex you know you can do it and it feels good, but with her it was different. Don't even have words. Felt so aroused but also tender. Carried away transported somewhere else. That first afternoon with her. Felt nothing would ever be better than the time I was in bed with her. Wanted to make it last forever. 

Sammy: And then she left. 

Jay sad: Then she left. She didn't feel it. She didn't feel what I felt. Probably still doesn't. 

Jay shakes his head. 

Samira comes out of the shower. Hair wet but dressed in shorts and t shit. 

Samira: Anything left for me?

Sammy: Lots. Hands her a paper plate.

Samira: Wish we had beer. I couldn't live in a Muslim country. 

Jay: You drink a lot for a Muslim girl.

Sammy. If we had beer I'd drink with her. 

Jay shakes his head at them.

Jay goes in to shower.

Sammy: He had a tough time after Goa. Don't want to see him hurt again.

Samira: He told me to call him if I needed anything.

Sammy: He deserves better than being used and thrown away. 

Samira angry: Five days. Listen. Dammit. I had known him five days. My boyfriend of four years was dead. He killed him. To be fair, my boyfriend had dumped me before Jay or whatever his name is, killed him. The future I planned with my boyfriend was gone. My relationship with my family was wrecked - though I didn't really care that much about that. My life was a complete mess. I didn't know him. I didn't know anything about him. Nothing. He wouldn't even tell me his name. To Jay - if that's even his name - I was just a girl he met on a job. Somebody he got attracted to. Somebody he wanted. Maybe if we'd met in London at say a pub though I guess he doesn't go to pubs or met say at a coffee house, I would have left Deepesh for him. But it wasn't like that. He was gentle and tender with me but he killed two people. And he's Muslim. Muslim men have all these rules for women. I should have left him his share of the stones. Shouldn't have taken so much of the money. But I needed the stones and the money more than he did. I thought he'd understand. <

Sammy: He's in love with you. 

Samira: He hasn't said that. 

Sammy: You called him cause you needed help with the stones. You robbed him in Goa. Are you angling to do that again? 

Samira: He told you that? You think I always have an angle? Did Jay tell you that is what Deepesh said? Deepesh said I always have an angle, he called me a snake. So you think I'm a snake too?

Jay is standing in the door to the bathroom, a towel around his waist. 

Jay: Deepesh called you a FUCKING snake.

Samira: And you called me a scorpion.

Sammy: So which are you? Snake or scorpion?

Samira I'm a survivor. Just a survivor.

Sammy: Do you even care who you hurt? 

Jay: Easy man.

Samira to Jay: You wanted a honeymoon. You wanted marriage.

Jay: I wanted you. I wanted to be with you. In Goa. You're right. Okay you can say that, in Goa I wanted a honeymoon. I didn't think about marriage. But you're right I wanted a honeymoon.  


Samira: I didn't know you. Not at all. You wanted to be my answer. You wanted to start where Deepesh left off. You thought you could fix everything. Yes, I knew I was going to leave you. I was going to take the money and the stones. But I wanted to avoid a confrontation. Just like the wedding, I didn't want a confrontation. With you, I didn't know what to say. I thought maybe you would understand. 

Sammy: You two don't need me for this conversation I'm gonna take a shower. 

Sammy goes in the bathroom.

I'm not a snake. And I'm not a scorpion. I'm a survivor. And if I have an angle, it's surviving. My dad is a surgeon in London. Left Pakistan when I was twelve for a big hospital position in London. But he stayed very traditional. Big shot in the Pakistani community in London. Truly believes women are inferior. Wanted my mother to remain traditional. Veiled if he had his way. My mother is very dramatic and she was attracted to the freedom English women have. Between them it was a constant was a war zone. My brother got more and more religious but was very protective of my mother. My brother thought my father disrespected our mother. He and my dad shouted a lot. One particularly horrible day, my brother pushed my father and my father felt and sprained his hand when he fell. My father was apoplectic. His surgeon hands. My father told my brother to get out and never come back. And so my brother walked out. Just left me there to deal with their shit show. He's in some camp in Afghanistan I think. Maybe the tribal areas. I don't know what he is doing. I wanted to get away from it all. I couldn't help my mother. I thought she should divorce my father but she wouldn't because she said she had no money. Then Deepesh. I could get away from them and just be with Deepesh. Deepesh was my answer. He was rich. Deepesh was the antidote. With Deepesh it was fun. Easy. Then my mother and my father got this wedding idea - get me married to some guy in Pakistan. Send me to Pakistan to live for the rest of my life. They arranged this wedding to my father's Pakistani friend's son made a big announcement to the Pakistani community and didn't tell me til after the announcement was made. I begged. I cried. My mother threatened suicide if I refused. They would be humiliated in front of everyone they cared about. I gave in and they sent me back to Pakistan. My mother went along with it. Deepesh said to go to Pakistan and he'd send someone to kidnap me. Said he'd get me out of the marriage. Deepesh was my life line. 

Samira: I'm just trying to survive. I didn't know you. I knew you five days. Knew nothing about you. I didn't even know your name. You wouldn't tell me your name remember. My life was in ruins. And you're Muslim. Separate ways remember? We agreed. Okay, I manipulated you. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you. 

Samira is crying

Jay puts his arms around her. Pulls her to him. 

Jay: Its okay Samira. Really it's okay. 

Sammy comes out of the bathroom. 

Sammy: If you two are going to have make-up sex, could you do it very quietly? I want to sleep. And I don't want to get turned-on and miss Amelia more than I do already.

Samira: Amelia's your wife? 

Jay: Yeah. She stays with me for the kids.  


Jay: And the sex. 

Sammy: Yeah and the sex. 

Samira is lying in Jay's arms in bed.

He nudges her.

Jay:Need you to get up, Dumpling get ready.

Samira: I'm back in your bed. Did you notice that?

Jay: You're on probation.

Samira nuzzles up to Jay's neck.

Jay:Don't bite me.

Samira: What about little soft bites?

Jay: No.

Samira: Dumpling? Did you just call me Dumpling?

She pulls away.

Jay: Don't think so. Did I?

Samira: You called me Dumpling.

Jay: It's about 11:00. You need to get up. Get ready. We need to leave soon. I wanted to give you enough time to get ready.

Samira: I need the light in the bathroom. Can I have the bathroom for about 20 minutes.

Samira: And don't call me Dumpling.

Jay: Fine with me.

Sammy: Okay with me.

Samira goes in the bathroom, emerges 20 minutes later as Saroosh.

Jay: Remember the walk Samira. Walk like a guy.

Samira swaggers.

They are in the car. Driving through the night.

Samira: Moving through a river of darkness.

Jay and Sammy in front. Jay driving.

Jay: There's a roadside place up here. I stopped there last time. Pretty sure they are open all night. We can stop. At least get tea, probably coffee too. Something to eat if you want. It's only six hours to Darra Adam Khel. I'll drive for a couple of hours. There will be only men eating together there Samira. You'll have to stay in character.

Samira: Okay. I can do it. Don't worry.

Sammy is texting on his phone.

Samira looking at her phone. Deepesh's mother is getting a lot of coverage.

Jay: Buying a lot of coverage.

Samira: Deepesh wasn't a good person. He killed a servant once. His friend told me. A young maid. From Philippines I think. She washed a shirt - his favorite - and she ruined it. Flew into a rage. He was 15. Choked her - kept choking her til she was dead. The friend was there. Never told anyone. Family covered it up. Said she fell down some stairs. Paid off her family.

Jay: Hard for me to see you and Deepesh as a couple.

Samira. I needed him.

Sammy: Yeah hard to believe a woman that Jay would be so crazy about would be with someone like Deepesh.

Jay: Leave her alone Sammy.

Samira: Are you crazy about me?

Jay: No.

They are sitting in the roadside cafe. All men there.

Samira is enjoying herself. No one is giving her a second look.

Jay: Samira you are enjoying your masquerade. But remember you've got to be nonchalant.

Sammy: Samira you are a natural. We can probably get you a job. Clandestine services.

Sammy: But Jay I just see you with some nice Muslim girl or a nice Anglican girl.

Samira: I am a nice Muslim girl.

Sammy: My wife's Anglican sister is crazy about Jay. I was hoping to save him for her.

Jay: Too late.

Samira: Too late.

They drink and eat. Jay looks at the map.

Jay: I love this girl, Sammy.

Samira: You do?

Jay: Pretty sure.

Sammy to Samira: I'm the one who'll pick up the pieces when you leave him again.

Jay: Okay. We will be there in about 4 hours. Will be light about in about 3 hours. Samira you just go with us. Don't talk. You are a mute when we get there. It's a dangerous place. Let Sammy and I set the pace, let us control what is said and done.

Samira: Okay.

^^^^^


	9. Day 9 February 21  DARRA ADAM KHEL BUYING GUNS SAMIRA'S SWIM

Day 9  
DARRA ADAMKHEL  
BUYING GUNS  
SAMIRA'S SWIM

The sun rises.  


Jay is driving. Samira is in the back seat. Sammy in front, earbuds in, listening to something on his phone.  


The terrain is high desert. Scrub brush and hills and lots of sky.

In Darra Adam Khel, Jay takes them to the gun store he went to before.

The shopkeeper greets Jay. Sammy greets the shopkeeper. Samira nods to him.

Jay: Do you remember me?

Shopkeeper: I remember. Two guns. I remember.

Jay to Sammy: I bought two guns. Good guns.

Jay: I need more guns. Also my friends here need guns.

Shopkeeper:Okay. Okay.

Jay: May I look?

Jay indicates he wants to go behind the counter.

Shopkeeper: Okay okay.

Jay again goes behind the counter picks out a gun.

Samira looks straight ahead. Says nothing.

Jay handles, dry fires several guns.

Jay: This one's good. Two? Do you have two of these?

Jay: Yes two.

Jay hands the gun to Sammy.

Jay: Try this one.

Sammy handles the gun and dry fires: I like it. Good but feels a little light for me.

Jay: I'll take these.

Sammy asks the clerk for permission to go behind the counter. Tries several guns. Same routine as Jay. Picks out a gun, asks for a second one the same. Just as Jay did.

Sammy: We need a shotgun. You have shotguns.

Shopkeeper: Yes we have.

Jay: Pick out a couple Sammy. You know shotguns.

Sammy takes down one.

Sammy: I'm going to hand you a gun. Hold it with two hands. Point it at the ground then slowly lift it up to your shoulder and point it at the front window. Tell me how it feels.

Sammy hands her a gun.

Jay: Just hold it. One hand here and the other hand there.

Samira takes it: What's it supposed to feel like?

Jay reaches out guides Samira's hands. Down, then up. Shot guns aren't aimed they're pointed.

Jay: Do it again.

Jay: A little smaller I think. She's not very big.

Sammy offers another one.

Jay feels it. Hold this, he hesitates, Saroosh.

Sammy: Yah that one looks good.

Jay: How does it feel?

Samira: Actually it feels good. Like it belongs to me. Yah it feels good.

Jay: We'll take two of these.

Samira: You always buy two.

Sammy: It's easier.

Samira: Could I try one of those. Indicates the pistols.

Jay: Okay. Sammy, find a small one. If you want one.

Sammy offers Samira one gun then another. None are right.

Jay: We better get going.

Sammy hands her a 4th gun.

Samira a little excited: This feels good. I can tell. It is right. I don't know how I can I tell, But I can.

She is smiling.

Jay gives her a warning look. Says very softly: Samira, remember act a little bored. Disinterested.

Samira nods. Looks down.

Sammy get ammunition and pay. I'm taking Samira to the car.

Sitting in the car.

Jay: Samira we are going to a gun range now.

Sammy gets in the car.

Sammy: The range is going to be fun - more than you thought.

Jay: I'm going to shoot first. You and Sammy are going to stand by the car. Just stand there okay. Look bored.

Jay: We are probably safe here but we don't want to attract any unwanted attention. Especially with you in disguise. We dont want to attract trouble. Just be unconcerned. Act like this is all boring and routine to you. Just stand with Sammy and lean against the car while I shoot.

Jay walks over to the men monitoring the range. Shakes hands with them. Walks in front of the targets. We see Jay shooting.

Samira to to Sammy: He is a really good shot isn't he.

Sammy: The best. Olympic level.

They stand there together while Jay shoots. Jay finishes walks over to the monitors then to the car.

Jay: They're cool. No trouble

Sammy go ahead. I'll stand here with Samira.

Samira: Can I see your gun.

Jay unloads it. Dry fires. Hands it to her. It's too big for you. Hold it. How does it feel?

Samira: A little big. Funny the shotgun felt kind of good. And the pistol Sammy gave me. This feels big and heavy.

Jay: The wand chooses the wizard.

Samira: Harry Potter? You are quoting Harry Potter to me?

Jay: I think the gun chooses. But you can fire it if you want

Samira: No. I'll just fire mine. I just wanted to see what yours felt like.

Sammy likes his guns a bit heavier than mine. .

Samira: The gun chooses the wizard.

Jay: Yeah.

Sammy comes back.

Jay: Okay lets go Samira.

They both walk out with her. One on each side.

Jay nods to the monitors.

Jay: Okay Samira. Act bored.

Samira: I will, don't worry.

A look passes between Jay and Sammy. Sammy shakes his head.

Sammy: Okay Samira. We'll practice loading and unloading later. We'll load for you. People make a big deal about the sound of racking a shot gun. And if you want to scare someone it's good. The sound scares the shit out of most people. But if you want to shoot someone, if you plan to shoot someone, you keep the gun loaded and you don't rack it cause it gives away your position. You have it loaded and you shoot. You don't rack it.

Sammy loads the gun. Hands it to Samira.

Sammy: This gun is loaded now Samira. Be careful.

Sammy: Don't aim it - just point it where you want to shoot.

Jay is standing on one side of Samira and Sammy on the other.

Jay: Sammy you help her. Might look too cozy if I put my arms around her.

Sammy gets behind Samira. Keep your finger completely away from the trigger. Helps her hold the gun down, then lifts it to her shoulder. Repeats several times.

Sammy: Okay I'm going to have you fire it now. We're gonna walk a little closer to that target. Shot guns don't have distance usually but they stop someone and the person stays stopped. That's why Jay wants you to have it. Its stopping power.

Sammy: Okay point it at the ground now lift it up point it at that target and pull the trigger.

Samira does it and hits the target.

Jay moves up to her. Puts a hand on her arm: Stay calm. I know you're excited and it is fun but just stay calm.

Samira: This is so fun.

Jay: If you really enjoy this, you'll have to move to the US. You can shoot anything anywhere.

Samira: I love this. This is amazing.

Jay and Sammy help her, she fires six or eight times. Hits the target more often than not.

Jay: Probably ought to go soon.

Samira: My shoulder hurts. But I do't want to stop.

Jay: Okay. A little longer .

Jay: Try the pistol now.

Jay shows her: Two hands like this.

Jay checks the gun.

Jay: It's empty.

Hands it to her. Hold it down, lift it up, aim, sight down the barrel of the gun at the target. Pull the trigger.

Samira: Okay.

Jay reloads it.

Jay: Try it a couple of times.

Jay: Sammy show her.

Sammy stands behind Samira reaches around her on each side: Put the pistol down now bring it up. Sight down the barrel now squeeze the trigger.

Look down the top of the gun Samira. Now pull the trigger.

Samira holds the gun at her side. Accidentally fires it into the ground.

She jumps.

One of the monitors looks up - starts toward them. J

Jay: Sammy go over there and let them know everything is okay.

Samira: Oops sorry.

Jay: No one hurt. Keep your finger off the trigger.

Jay: Try again Samira.

Jay: Okay take your finger off the trigger. Lift it up, put your other hand under it.

Samira: Under the handle?

Jay: The stock. Yes under the handle.

Jay: Now put your finger on the trigger, aim down the barrel and fire at the target.

Samira hits the edge of the target.

Jay says: Good shot. Your gonna be pretty good. Try it a few more times. Then we need to go.

Sammy walks back: We need to go soon I think

Samira: Okay.

Sammy and Jay unload the guns. Put them in the trunk.

Jay: Robert E Lee American Confederate general said: It is well that war is so terrible, otherwise we would grow too fond of it. Guns are like that too. Good thing they are so terrible. It is easy to grow too fond of them.

Sammy: Jay likes all that history stuff. Likes quoting stuff. His mom was a history teacher

Jay walks over to the gun range monitors. Hands them some money. Shakes hands with them.

Sammy: Get in the car now Samira.

Samira: Stop ordering me around.

Sammy: Sorry. habit. I get around Jay and I start giving people orders. My wife hates it. We just want to keep you safe.

Samira is in the back. Sammy starts the car. Jay gets in the passenger side: Time to go.

Jay: I'm wondering if we can get thru the border with the guns or if we should go for Nitin's guy. I brought a gun through in November. Had it in a thigh holster.

Sammy: We've got eight guns this time. Including the shot guns.

Jay: I don't like letting go of them.

Nitin's good.

Jay: Okay call Nitin ask him where we meet his guy. I want out of here now.

Sammy pulls over, they switch places.

Samira: I loved shooting. It is amazing.

Sammy is laughing: Aren't you the girl who gave us shit about coming here.

Samira: Well I didn't know it would be fun, did I? (cockney accent)

Sammy on the phone. Where can we meet your guy? We're ready.

Sammy repeats. Arms Hotel 30 minutes. Okay.

They drive to the hotel. Wait outside.

Phone rings. Sammy speaks Urdu.

Okay.

Sammy gets out. I'll go meet him. He'll follow us out of town a little and take the guns. We'll have them back in a day or two.

Sammy goes in to the hotel. Walks out with a guy shakes his hand. Sammy walks over to the car with Samira and Jay. That's Nitin's friend, Moshin. I'll follow you out with him. Sammy and Moshin get in the Toyota SUV. Jay drives out of town. They follow.

They honk and Jay pulls over. Sammy and the guy pull in behind Jay and take the guns from the trunk put them in the Toyota.

They shake hands and the guy turns the car around and is gone with the guns. Less than 5 minutes. Sammy gets back in the car with Jay and Samira.

Jay: Straight back now.

Jay: It's 2:00. We'll be back in Lahore around 8:00

They stop just outside Lahore. [The place where Jay took off Samira's hood and cut her ties.]

Jay: You remember this place, Samira?

Samira: This is where we met. Sort of.

Sammy: You met here?

Samira: Jay when he kidnapped me, tied my hands behind me and put a hood over my head. This is where he took the hood off and untied me. So it was the first time I had seen his face. Why did you do that? Was that all necessary - the trunk, the hood?

Jay: Only way. Didn't have time to work out anything else. Sorry I know it was uncomfortable.

Samira: Very unpleasant. He was military. I think that set a pattern for us. He ordered me around then and hasn't stopped ordering me around. And you picked it up from Jay, Sammy. /p>

They get out.

Jay: You wanna drive Samira?

Samira: Okay.

Jay: Come here. Take off the beard and the mustache.

Samira does.

Jay puts his arms around her and kisses her: Never met anybody like you.

They eat. Samira drives. /p>

Jay plays You belong to the City.

^^^*^^^

Back at the hotel.

Samira looks longingly at the pool. I didn't bring a costume [suit].

Sammy: Nobody is down there. Why don't you swim without one? Jay and I will keep watch.

Samira: Really?

Jay: I think Sammy just wants to see you naked again. But, sure. We'll keep watch if you want to swim.

Samira: Okay.

They go up to the room. Samira gets a couple of towels and the three go down to the pool.

Samira stands next to the pool. Takes off her clothes. Dives into the pool and swims laps. Floats. Swims to the side.

Jay and Sammy are sitting at a table.

Samira: This feels so good.

<

Samira gets out. Stands naked in the light for a moment dripping. Her skin shimmers with the water and the light.

Samira: Uh, I need a towel.

Both Sammy and Jay inhale.

Sammy: A god-damned goddess. She doesn't even know how beautiful she is.

Jay picks up two towels. Walks over to her. Hands the towels to her.

Jay: Want help drying off?

Samira: I think I can manage.

Jay goes back to the table sits down with Sammy. Both just watch her.

Samira finishes drying, puts her clothes back on. Shakes out her hair. Towel dries it.

Sammy: She's ruined you for anyone else.

Jay: She has.

Sammy: You are lost my man. Lost.

Jay: Yep.

Samira walks over to the table: I haven't ever done that. Swimming nude. It feels really good.

Samira: Maybe at Goa I could do it.

Jay:At night.

>


	10. DAY 10 FEBRUARY 22 I CAN THINK I CAN FAST I CAN WAIT  Darra Adamkhel to Jaipur

Chapter 11: DAY 11 FEBRUARY 23 I CAN THINK I CAN FAST I CAN WAIT  


Darra Adamkhel to Jaipur 

2nd draft

Note: in text change Dorothy name to Gale - Dorothy Gale wizard of oz - use he pronouns account for Mike Gale Dorothy Gale revise manuscript

The next morning Jay and Samira and Sammy are sitting at a table on the Pakistan side of the India Pakistan border. They are waiting for the border to open. There is a mist. Like the morning months before when Jay and Samira were there.  
Jay and Samira are sitting at the same table they were sitting at months before. Instead of being across from each other they are sitting next to each other. Sammy is sitting across from them. He's on the phone with Nitin.  
No one else there. They have drinks coffee, tea on the table. There is a sense that the three of them are a team of some kind. There a camaraderie. /> Jay looks at Samira, smiles at her. Shakes his head. Takes her hand. Turns it palm up. Leans over kisses her palm.  
Jay: "Lately it's occurred to me what a long strange trip it's been."  
Samira: A song?  
Jay: Grateful dead. Song called Truckin'.  
Sammy is talking to Nitin on the phone .  
Samira: I love shooting.  
Jay: We guessed.  
Sammy hangs up. Day after tomorrow across, Nitin says. Then a day down to Jaipur.  
Jay: Okay.  
Jay. Sammy, you know tentacle erotica?  
Sammy glances at Samira: Why?  
Jay: We've got a Japanese print with a woman with an octopus over the bed in the flat we got from Nitin's sister's friend.  
Sammy: Like to meet the friend.  
Sammy: Yah, I've seen the print. Rape of the Fisherman's wife? Don't think Amelia ever has seen it. Don't know how she'd react. I've seen some tentacle stuff on-line. Hentai. Anime. Animated videos.  
Jay: The Dream of the Fisherman's Wife. or Pearl Diver and Octopus. Question consensual or rape.  
Sammy: What did you think Samira?  
Samira: Consensual.  
Sammy: Yeah. On-line stuff more toward the non-consensual though. Have you seen the on-line stuff?  
Jay: Some.  
Samira: No.  
Sammy: Did you like it Samira?  
Samira: Kind of.  
>Sammy: You should look around. If an octopus performing cunnilingus is on the wall over the bed, you should probably look under the bed and in the drawers and at the DVD collection.  
Samira: It's what you see when you walk in the bedroom. First thing. It isn't something she looks at while she is lying in bed. It's what someone would see walking into the room. What would you think Sammy if you saw it on a girl's bedroom wall?  
Sammy: She wanted me to know that oral sex would be okay. Maybe that she wanted oral. She was probably uninhibited.  
Jay: Permission. A request.  
Samira: Should I leave it up or take it down?  
Jay and Sammy simultaneously: Leave it up.  
Sammy: You're pretty damn comfortable talking about sex especially for a Muslim girl.  
Samira: My boyfriend was Indian, practically raised on The Kama Sutra.  
Jay makes a strangled sound and gets up from the table.  
Jay: I'm getting another tea.  
He stalks away from the table.  
Samira shrugs: What's wrong with him?  
Sammy: I've know Jay since we were kids. Seen him with lots of girls. He's always been a take em or leave em kind of a guy. Fine with em, fine without em. We used to go to a pubs with Jay. The girls all come around. Something about him. We used him to attract girls. He was always kind of aloof, detached. Amelia says he's a warrior-priest type. Girls can't resist him. But he is just not that interested.  
Sammy: Then you. And in you, he's interested.  
Samira: He's jealous of a guy who is dead. Who dumped me. It's not like Deepesh took me away from him.  
Samira: What does he want? Time travel. Go back in time before I met Deepesh. Erase Deepesh from my life?  
Samira: He wants some devout Muslim girl exclusively his, never touched by anyone but him. That is not me. Never will be me.  
Sammy: Dunno. Seems like it's you he wants. However far you are from the virginal devout ideal.  
Samira: He's jealous of some guy I was with before I ever knew him.  
Sammy: Well you did just throw the dead old x boyfriend and the Kama Sutra in his face.  
Samira (sheepish): I did? I didn't mean to do that.  
Sammy: He's a simple guy. Seems like he isn't, but basically he is.  
Samira gets up from the table goes over to where Jay is standing.  
Samira: I can't teach you to swim now cause you know how. Want me to teach you the Kama Sutra?  
Jay glowers at her: You think that offer makes me feel better?  
She shrugs.  
Then Jay laughs: You'll teach me the Kama Sutra which you learned from the guy you were with before me. You are too much for me.  
Samira: No I'm not. I'm just what you need. Stop making me chase you.  
Jay: I like it. After Goa, you should have to chase me.  
Samira pulls him down to her. Kisses him on the cheek.  
Samira: What do you want from me?  
Jay takes her hand. Looks in her eyes.  
Jay: Everything. I want everything.  


The gate opens.  
Jay: You should wear a scarf.  
Samira: I know.  
Jay: Not an order.  
Samira: I know.  
They walk across. Nitin is waiting for them with the Audi. Nitin drives for two hours. They stop, eat. Sammy drives. Then Samira. Then Jay.  
They are back in Jaipur. Nitin keeps the car. Plans to drop Sammy at one of his relatives.  
Jay: I'll call you tomorrow.  
Nitin: I'll bring you the car in the morning.  
Jay: Early afternoon is fine.  
Jay and Samira go up to the flat.  
Samira: Are you going to sell any of your stones?  
Jay: We'll sell the 11th diamond.  
Samira: Are you leaving the rest here or taking them back to England.  
Jay: Not sure.  
Samira: I'll sell only one.  
Jay: We'll sell two then. The diamond we share and one of yours.  
Jay: And we have to take the emeralds to Nitin's jeweler. So the emerald, the ruby, 1/2 a diamond and a whole diamond, you should have $240,000. You should be able to live well for a couple of years.  
Samira: With Deepesh's mother searching, fliers, rewards, I can't really go to the big hotels. The places I like. I'll miss that.  
Jay: You could go as Saroosh. Or you could use one of the British passports and go somewhere else.  
Samira: Like where?  
Jay: China, Japan, Europe. Russia. South America. The Amazon. Africa. Go on safari. Go on cruises with the Swedish or with Finns. No Mrs. Nayyar. She is not that news worthy.  
Samira: Maybe. Not as Saroosh.  
Jay: I have a plan for selling the diamonds.  
Samira: After I sell the diamonds I want to go back to Goa. To the beach house.  
Jay: Weather is still good. Warm days and nights.  
Samira: I miss the the London rain sometimes.  
Jay: You could try Goa in June or July rains every day, but it's still warm, 80s or even warmer. 

Samira: What's the plan?  
Jay: I want to create a strong impression that Deepesh is alive. That he left you for a singer in a band. So if you decide to go back to England, there will be evidence that Deepesh had left you for someone else. So if you claim amnesia, it will help that story. Good to put something in place now for later if you need it. Gale will help us. He wants to make you a pink-haired girl singer. He says she was a paratrooper but he feels like CIA to me.  
Jay: Let's go to bed. We'll call Gale tomorrow. He'll help us develop a plan.  
Samira: Are you like Gale?  
Jay: I'm more like a regular soldier who did special things. He's different. Before I think he was a real covert operator - like deep CIA stuff maybe not CIA but like that maybe some other covert agency. The Americans have a lot of covert agencies. I'm not like that.  
Samira: I've spent two nights in your bed. Three if you count here. Are we okay about my leaving you in November  
Jay: Don't know. Too much going on. Need some time to think.  
Jay: I can wait. I can fast. I can think.  
Samira: What?  
Jay laughs: Herman Hesse book. Siddhartha. I can wait, I can think and I can fast. That's supposed to be the secret of everything.  
Samira: The secret of everything? .  
Jay: I need some time to think. I had unrealistic expectations for you, for Goa. But you created some of those expectations for your own purposes.  
Samira: An angle? A snake, a scorpion? We are back to that?  
Jay takes a breath: Samira, I don't care right now why you left me in Goa after two days. Right now I don't care. You called me to help you. I'm glad you called. And if you are seducing me, it feels good. Don't know what happens next. But I'm not going to throw away time with you. Nothing in my life feels as good as being with you. So you're welcome in my bed, I'm happy to join you in yours under the octopus.  
Samira: Okay.

Jay: So you are going to teach me the Kama Sutra. Do we need to get a book or do you have it memorized?

Samira: Have some memorized.


	11. DAY 11 FEBRUARY 23 PLANNING TO SELL THE STONES,

Jay and Samira are sitting in bed under the octopus print. Samira has coffee. Jay tea. Jay is bare -chested. Samira has on a t-shirt. Covers in disarray. 

Samira: I'd like to get some things for this flat. Her personal things are in the spare room, her clothes, pictures.

Jay: Except for the amorous octopus.

Samira glances up at the print over the bed. 

Jay: We could shop - what do you want?  
Samira: Little things. Some pillows. Maybe my own cup. One for you. A new spread for in here. new sheets. Some champagne glasses. Fridge is clean except for the left overs from House of Han. Beer and the water. Need some food.  
Jay: We also need to get you ready to sell the stones. And I want to put in another safe. One for you, one for me. Then after I leave you can have them both.  
Samira: You still don't trust me.  
Jay: Don't want to tempt you.  
Jay: We won't have the guns til the day after tomorrow. So we have til then to shop and get the diamonds and we have to get the emeralds to the jeweler and get you ready and plan. Samira: Can we go out for breakfast.  
Jay: Sure. And I'll get the safes.  
Jay: Gale's not coming til 12:30.  


Nitin, Sammy, and Gale arrive.  
Gale comes with 3 bags.  
Gale: Okay Jay I'm glad to help you. But I need to know what I'm into here now. I worked for the US government. 101st then clandestine services. Need-to-know bullshit. Did a lot of things didn't know why or what the fuck was going on. Don't do that anymore. So let's hear what you got going on here. Seems like you all know or know parts. Let's hear it.  
Samira looks at Jay. He nods.  
Sammy: Hey, I thought we were getting lunch.   
Jay: Ok sure. We found a good place. House of Han. Samira and I will go. Let me get orders.  
Sammy: What have you got anything to drink, Samira?   
Samria: Beer sparkling water in fridge. Glasses in the cabinet. Help yourself.   
Samm: No whiskey?   
No whiskey no scotch no gin no wine.   
SammY: I'll go out and get some drinks.   
Gale looks at his bags.   
Gale: I'll unpack.   
Nitin I ve got some calls to make.   
jay: Lunch then we'll read you in Gale. It's a long story.   


They come back with the food. Sammy brings Heaven's Door, Laphroiag, couple bottles of wine, a Bombay gin, tonic and more beer.  
Gale looks at the alcohol.  
Gale: Must be some story.  
Sammy: Kind of is some story.  
The cartons are on the table. Samira gets plates. Chopsticks come with the food. She puts them out. Napkins. Smaira gets out some forks and spoons. She pours herself some whiskey.  
Samira: Help yourselves to food and drinks. Your on your own. I'm not serving.  
She goes over with her whiskeys, sits on the couch, curls her legs under her.  
Jay gets a sparkling water and goes to sit beside her.  
Jay: Get comfortable. Long story.  
Gale and Nitin and Sammy pull the dining chairs to face the couch.  
Jay: Okay Samira. Start.  
Samira: My father - it really starts with my father. He is a big shot surgeon neurosurgeon in London. He came to London to practice when I was 12 but he remained a conservative muslim, a very traditional Pakistani man. He dislikes English culture - sees it as degenerate. My father wanted me to be educated in England then wanted me to marry a traditional Pakistani man and return to live the rest of my life in Pakistan. He committed to a marriage, that is he arranged a marriage for me with the son of a Pakistani friend of his and announced it to the Pakistani community in London and it was announced by the friend back in Pakistan. he siad nothing to me about it beforehand. I didn't want it. I cried I begged I protested. My father insisted. He would not be humiliated by me in front of his family and friends in front of the Pakistani community by withdrawing from the arrangement. My refusing or backing out would be a stain on his reputation. No woman should dare challenge his word ever. He would not have it, would not permit my withdrawing from the arrangement. He said would rather see me dead than allow me to humiliate him. He screamed, he yelled, he threw things. He raged. He said he would disown me if I refused. He reminded me that 40 years ago my refusal would mean my death. My mother threatened to drink bleach if I refused. Non-stop drama. I gave in and agreed, but I had been in a relationship with an Indian with Deepesh Neyer for 4 years. I told Deepesh about the marriage and that I had to give in, and Deepesh came up with a plan. He said he knew people that he could get to kidnap me. My parents would not be embarrassed by my refusing or backing out of the contract. Instead with a kidnapping they'd get lots of sympathy. He could get his hands on some jewels and he could meet me in India and we could disappear together.  
Jay: This is where I come into the tale. Deepesh was put in touch with a friend of mine. Erick Strimple. Nice guy. Good. Ex-special forces guy. Ex-SAS. Freelancer, doesn't work at Global with Sammy and me.  
Sammy: Very good guy. Solid. Loves his daughter. Good family guy.  
Jay: Takes things on his own. I was in Syria with him in army. Pongos. Owe him - saved my ass once. Wouldn't be here without his help. He agreed to go. Deepesh offered him $15,000 - $5000 up front, $10,000 on delivery. 3 days before he was supposed to leave, his 10 year old was hit by a car - riding her bike 4 blocks from home - serious injuries, head injuries, in hospital. He called me asked me if I'd do it so he could stay with his daughter and support his wife. I had time on the books, sounded easy enough. Essentially an ex-fil. Pick-up bride in Pakistan, drop her in India. Pick-up and delivery. Simple, straightforward. A willing package. I've done lots of ex-fils, quite a few renditions. Never ex-filled a bride. Wasn't sure if bride was really willing but figured I could ask her after I got her out and could always take her back. Had been in Syria, Libya, Egypt, Iran, Yemen, but not in India or Pakistan. Had an excuse to go and an easy $15,000. Erick called Deepesh told him about the change, then I called Deepesh. never met him. He was okay with the change. So Erick brought me the $5000, a picture of Samira and her clothes which Deepesh had given him. Which I guess you gave Deepesh.  
Samira: I did, before I left for Pakistan. Gave him basic things. Shoes, shirts, jacket, pants, even my make-up case.  
Jay: I worried about not speaking Punjabi or Urdu or anything. Erick said I could get by with English. So I got a ticket, flew into Lahore. Erick's plan was to drive up to Kohut and get a gun. Made sense to me, so that's what I did. He'd planned several days but I had no time so drove straight through from Lahore to Kohut then to Youganabad but got a couple of nice guns.  
Sammy: I'm getting old man, I hate those no sleep operations.  
jay: Yeah. Me too. So I got the guns drove to Younganabad to the groom's place where the wedding was to take place, said I was a friend of Hassan, Samira's brother. The friend of the brother thing was something Erick and Deepesh had decided on. That way me being there as a guest could make sense. Saw Samira when she came the night before the wedding. You were beautiful by the way. Not love at first sight but thought I knew you for a second. Felt something.  
Samira: Not love at first sight? No? Where were you?  
Jay: I was at the back of the crowd when you got out of the Land Rover. You had on a green shawl and your arms were full of presents. You looked sad though.  
Samira: I didn't see you.  
Jay: No. I was in the back.  
Samira: Sad? No, don't think so. I was worried no one was going to come and it was only 24 hours til the wedding.  
Gale: Uh I think this narrative is mostly for my benefit. Could you two compare love-notes later?  
Jay: Yeah okay sorry. Don't know how much detail you want.   
Gale: Don't need the love story. I want the operation details. Need-to-know. Admit so far a bit entertaining. Some days I damn well miss it all. I do miss it.   
Jay: Okay, I went in about 2 AM. Ski mask, dark clothes. Had a gun. Found her sleeping. Tied her hands, hood. If she didn't want to go to Deepesh didn't want her to be able to identify me.  
Samira: He dragged me from the house, shot the guard and threw me in the boot like a bag of flour. Hood still on, hands tied behind me. Hurt. It was bumpy and smelly in the boot. It was horrible.  
Jay: Guard was away from chair when I went in. Couldn't wait any longer. When we came out he was back. There I was with Samira with her hands tied behind her and a hood on. He hesitated I thought he was gonna let us go, then he raised the rifle and aimed at us. No choice. I shot him.  
Sammy: Olympic rifle team at 17. Jay never misses.  
Jay: Put Samira in the trunk. Sorry about that sweetheart. Just procedure.  
Samira: I thought it was supposed to be a fake kidnapping. Guns, hoods, stuffed in a boot. People getting shot. It was batshit.  
Jay: Ask her if she wanted to go to Deepesh, she said she did. Took off the hood, ties. Gave her her bag, a passport. We walked across the border with passports as brother and sister. We were supposed to meet Deepesh in Amritsar. He had a reservation. I expected to drop Samira off there and get my money, go back across the border and fly home from Lahore.  
Samira: But Deepesh wasn't there. I only had one number for him. He had some lame excuse.  
Jay: Said he was stuck in London sorting things out. Said he'd meet us in Delhi.  
Samira: So we went to meet him in Delhi.  
Jay: I had a bad feeling when he wasn't in Amritsar. If he didn't owe me money I would have left you in Amritsar.  
Samira: You would have?  
Jay: No already thought you were pretty cute. You did what I told you to do but you were the most sarcastic girl I'd ever come across.  
Jay: Any questions so far?  
Samira: Kind of painful to remember all this.  
Samira gets up pours herself more whiskey.  
Gale: Go on. Like to get through this by sundown.  
Jay: So we went to Delhi.  
Samira: And so instead of two rooms like we had in Amritsar we had to get one room. And share a bed.  
Sammy: Sharing a bed with your package?  
Jay: Deepesh was supposed to meet me in Amritsar. I was supposed to be done with the package in Amritsar. I had one passport for her. Worried, didn't want to use it again. I had other passports for me. Only one for Samira, Marian Zaiman.  
Gale: Still nice to share a bed with a girl like Samira, no.  
Jay: It wasn't like that. And I thought you didn't want the love story.  
Samira: He was very well-behaved. Perfect gentleman in the bed. Folded his arms across his chest. Turned his back to me.  
Sammy: He is a gentleman. You could have taken off your clothes and danced and he wouldn't have touched you. He's a professional.  
Jay: Well not if she danced naked. I can't be sure about that.  
Gale: So Delhi. Sharing a room. Sharing a bed.  
Jay: Yeah. Deepesh was there in Delhi. I arranged to met him, thought I'd get my money, then get Samira to him and get a flight back to London from Dehli. Found a flight for $390 on Air India leaving that night non-stop to London.  
Samira crying a little: But Deepesh didn't want me anymore. The guard that you killed. Made him afraid.  
Jay shrugs.  
Samira: He offered Jay $20,000 to take me back to Pakistan.  
Jay gets out his phone and plays the conversation on his phone.  
Samira: You still have that? You kept it?  
Jay: I just never erased it.  
Samira: why did you record it.?  
Jay: Not sure. Maybe thought if he stuck to not wanting you you wouldn't believe unless you heard his words.  
Samira: Painful to hear it. This is not easy for me.  
Jay: No real reason for him to back out. He was a asshole.  
Gale: So then what.  
Jay: I told Deepesh I'd take her back to Pakistan. And I called Sammy to find some ID for her. Sammy has a grandmother in India. Visits her in the summer. Thought he would know someone.  
Sammy: And I referred him to Nitin.  
Nitin: He asked me for ID for her - I got him an Indian id card and a passport with a visa for Pakistan. I had a good ID for her. Not such a great passport. I told him for crossing a land border would probably be fine, late at night, with a bribe.  
They all laugh.  
Gale: You were going to take her back?  
Jay: What else could I do? Beginning to think about Deepesh not wanting her. What did that mean? Was almost afraid to admit to myself she interested me.  
Samira: I accepted that Jay was going to take me back. Didn't have any options. Didn't know if he would force me to go back. Without Depesh, I didn't really know what else to do but go back at that point. Then I decided I had to see Deepesh before I went back. I thought maybe he would change his mind. Maybe I could change his mind. But he didn't want to see me.  
Jay: I made him rent a suite at the Samode palace a condition of my taking her back. I thought if they had a night together in a nice place maybe they could work things out. Started to feel sorry for Samira. Knew she wanted to make it work out. And if they could work it out, I'd be done. The whole thing had turned into a shit-show.  
Samira: So Deepesh rented a Mercedes picked us up. We drove to the Samode palace. Deepesh paid Jay and I could tell Deepesh didn't want to spend any time with me. He kept saying noooo. But I wanted to talk to him. Jay made him pull over and Jay got out. Jay got out, walked a little ways away from the car. I tried to talk to Deepesh. He was set. I had to go back to Pakistan and get married. We argued, started fighting and I slapped him and he slapped me back and started strangling me I was screaming and he was yelling and I was hitting him and he wouldn't let go of my neck and Jay pulled him out of the car.  
Jay: I asked him for the stones. He said there were no stones. I thought if he had the stones, I could give them to Samira or some of them to her and with the stones maybe she could look after herself and not go back to the marriage.  
Samira: And then I honked the horn at them. To get their attention. I wanted to know what they were doing. And when I honked Jay turned toward me to see what I wanted and Deepesh picked up a rock and hit him in the back of the head. And then Jay turned around, pushed him down, took the rock away from Deepesh and then he hit Deepesh in the head with the rock and Deepesh died.  
Jay: I killed him, Samira.  
Samira: Then I thought Jay might kill me too. I knew Deepesh put the jewels in a special place in his shoe. I had seen him do it a few times. I was sure he had them there. I offered Jay a deal - we could split the stones, get rid of Deepesh's body and go our separate ways.  
Sammy: He wouldn't have killed you.  
Gale: He should have killed you. I like you and I'm glad he didn't, but you and Deepesh were a complete shit show. Fake kidnapping. Two people dead. A good decent operator caught in the middle of your mess.  
Samira: Sorry. I'm sorry. I didn't know it could go that way.  
Jay: We know. So Deepesh did have stones. In the heel of his shoe. 15 stones. Probably worth over a 1.5 million dollars. Samira took the stones.  
Jay: So let's say I disposed of Deepesh's body. I don't think it will be found or if found probably can't be identified.  
Jay: I called Nitin and said I needed a passport altered.  
Nitin: So I put Jay's picture in Deepesh's passport so Jay could be Deepesh and Samira and Jay took the Mercedes and went to the Samode as Deepesh and Samira.  
Jay: Samira and I stayed there one night. Samira had a swim in their pool.  
Samira: At the pool, I kissed Jay. First time. Deepesh had rejected me and I wanted to feel desired. And Jay was all I had then. Jay looked terrified when he knew I was going to kiss him. But he kissed me back and then withdrew from me. He wouldn't touch me. The chaste knight. Won't touch the lady he was supposed to serve and protect.  
Gale laughs: Well done, Jay. Hold the position. You seductress.  
Sammy: Goddess. I saw her getting out of the pool in Lahore not a stitch on. Looked like Aphrodite.  
Samira: Stop.  
Jay: So we let people at the Samode think Deepesh and Samira stayed there and they were were planning to go to Lucknow then Kathmandu and then we went to Goa. First we went back to Nitin.  
Nitin: Jay gave me some IDs, passports and the Mercedes. Asked me to use the Deepesh passport and the passport I'd made for Samira with her picture in Lucknow and Kathmandu and then retire them. I did that. And I introduced them to a jeweler I know. He examined one of the stones. A diamond. It was too expensive for him. The diamond was worth $100,000. He gave it back.  
Samira: I took the stone back. I was planning to go separate ways. After Goa.  
Jay: And I thought we were going to be together in Goa. I thought if she was going to disappear with Deepesh, she would disappear for awhile with me. She'd kissed me in the pool. Nice kiss. I'd fallen under her spell. I was being chaste, but I was beginning to think about what it would be like if I weren't being chaste.  
Gale, Nitin and Sammy laugh.  
Jay: We took the bus to Goa. 35 hours lying next to her on the bus. Very cozy. Rented a nice beach house. I had two non-chaste nights. Very nice nights and then Samira left me, in the middle of the night. Snuck out of bed, took most of my money, stole a scooter and took all the stones.  
Samira: It was early morning. I called I said I was sorry.  
Sammy: And after a month Jay came back to London and looked terrible. Why did you stay a month? Did you think she'd come back?  
Jay: Yeah. Thought she might come back and then I could kill her.  
Samira shocked: You did?  
Jay: Never wanted to kill you.Under your spell.  
Samira: Still? Now too? Under my spell.  
Jay: Yeah still caught in the enchantment.  
Sammy: When Jay got back I asked him what was wrong. I thought maybe he was sick. Malaria or Dengue fever or something. I asked him was he sick. Did he need a doctor. His sister's a doctor. I asked her about him. She said she thought something happened on his last trip. I finally pushed him to tell me. He told me a job had gone bad and two people had been killed and he'd fallen for a girl who dumped him Said he'd been an idiot. A fool. He moped around. Looked almost as bad as he did when his mom was killed. Worried the fuck about him.  
Samira takes Jay's arm: I'm sorry.  
Jay: Are you?  
Gale: So how'd we get here?  
Jay: So February, February 13, my phone rings. It 2 in the morning. I was up. I had just gotten back from a thing in Yemen and my favorite jewel thief and shameless seductress is on the phone. She wants help. She's been assaulted, can't seem to sell her stolen stones on her own without her dead boyfriend and she wants help and she's willing to make things right by giving me the stones she stole from me. She trusts me. She wants me to be her valentine.  
Samira: Sarcasm? I deserve your sarcasm?  
Jay: Pretty sure you do.  
Sammy: And does he resist. Does he hang-up. Does he block her number on his phone. Throw that phone away. Nooooo. Does he negotiate a tough deal a penalty of his half plus another two or three stones and the cost of the scooter and his money back. No. He calls our boss and gets two weeks off to go help her.  
Jay: I'm insisting she pay for the scooter.  
Gale, Nitin and Sammy laugh. Samira starts to punch him in the arm and Jay dodges her.   
Gale: She is charming. I can't resist her either. But you probably should have shot her at the Samode. I would have. No offence.  
Samira: You would have shot me?  
Gale: Well I mean in Jay's shoes. If I were his commander, and it were an operation, that's what I would have expected, demanded. But of course I mean before I knew you. Now I wouldn't. I'd protect you from fellows like Jay and Sammy. And Deepesh.  
Nitin: That doesn't make any sense.  
Gale: It does to them.  
Nitin: I'm just the document guy. And the car disposal guy. Not even sure what I'm doing here. Like knowing the whole story, though.  
Gale: So what now?  
Jay: So Samira needs to sell some stones so she has money to live on. She spent the money she stole from me on manicures at the Taj in Mumbai.  
Nitin: My jeweler friend has given her a contact in Delhi.  
Sammy: We want to escort Samira to Delhi to sell a stone or two and get her back safely.  
Jay: More than that. I want it to look like Deepesh is still alive. Make it seem that Deepesh is still alive. And that he is with someone other than Samira. That he left her. And I have a plan.  
Jay: We go down to Delhi, sell a stone or two to Nitin's jeweler's guy but bring a second or third stone. Samira dresses as Patty Chopra. Nitin you look a little like Chopra's drummer. The right clothes and a couple of drum sticks, you could pass for the drummer. So Gale, I need you to costume Samira, and maybe Nitin, if you want to be part of this Nitin. We'll go to two or three jewelers in Delhi and Samira as Patty will go in and offer to sell a stone. Sammy will be her bodyguard. Actually have a gun to keep the diamond and Samira. Likely they will low ball her. She'll get on the phone ostensibly with Deepesh - I'll be Deepesh again - and talk to him to get his permission to take the offer. There is from Deepesh's mother a $50K offer for information and one or more of the jewelers will report the Deepesh sighting to try to get the reward or part of it. Samira is protected. Deepesh is alive, he's left her.  
Samira: It's a lot of trouble. Is it necessary?  
Jay: Some day Samira you may want to go back to England.  
Samira: I'm never going back.  
Gale: Samira, you don't think so now but things happen: illness, family changes, just homesickness. You may want to go back. Most people do. Being on the run wears people out. Escaped prisoners turn themselves in. People get tired of being undercover. People want to go home. Happens more often than not. Jay is smart to do this. Nobody will be hurt. Most clandestine operations are like a play, a little drama, everyone will know their part. It's a good idea. This is probably what Jay and Sammy do all the time. And Nitin supplies documents for things like this.  
Nitin: I do.  
Jay: And Gale has done this kind of thing plenty of times.  
Gale: Guilty. Actually not for awhile. Sounds fun. Oh yeah I'm in. I'm in. I'll not only do the costumes. I'll help. I want to wear a gun though. A real gun. How about Sammy and I as hired muscle for Patty and her drummer. For her band. We'll slick our hair back. Lots of oil. Checkered sports jackets. Shoulder holsters. We'll keep Samira safe. the stones safe. Theater costume room has everything we need. Big shoulder holsters, the jackets. Nitin drumsticks, a silk shirt and little goatee and a moustache. And you my dear, a spiky pink wig which I have in the bags and I brought a revealing little beaded halter, satin pants, 4 inch heels. Copy the Patty Chopra make-up which either of us you or me Smaira can do. And we really kept Samira safe, close protection, and her $100,000 diamonds safe.   
Jay: You're in then.  
Sammy: I'm in.  
Nitin: Me too.  
Sammy and Nitin leave.

Gale: So wild pink hair for you and something suggestive to wear. Something memorable. So the jewelers remember you and Deepesh.  
Gale shows Samira a beaded gold and silver halter top and black satin pants. Black 4 inch chunky sling back heels. And a spiked pink wig. Try these on.  
Samira comes out. The beaded top barely covers her breasts. As she moves the sides of her breasts are visible.  
Jay: Sexy. Memorable.  
Gale: The pants could be tighter.  
Samira: Is it worth all this? I mean we could just sell the two stones to Nitin's Jeweler's contact and be done with it.  
Gale. It won't take that much. People need to think Deepesh is alive. And with someone else. That's good if you ever want to go back to England. And Samira, my guess is one of these days you are going to want to go back. It's worth it. And it'll be easy. A couple of extra hours at most. You're good, you'll enjoy dressing-up again. Seem to have a knack for it. You enjoyed your time as Saroosh.  
Jay: We all go down?  
Gale: All. You, me, Samira and Sammy. I don't think we need really Nitin, but he'll add to the authenticity. The more the merrier.  
Jay laughs.  
Gale: Okay I admit I'm enjoying the idea of it. Been a while since I did a thing. Dressing up Samira as Saroosh isn't a thing.  
Jay: So we go down to Delhi. We take a couple of hotel rooms, different hotels. Rent a couple of cars.  
Jay: You want to mount a major operation. Five people, two hotels, two or do you want three cars?  
Gale: Let me have my fun. Two cars are enough.  
Samira: Mike probably wants to shoot someone.  
Gale: Well it's been awhile. I wouldn't mind a little shooting.  
Jay: Want to consider Samira and I taking the train? We took a train before. It took about 6 hours.  
Gale: A car is safer than a bus. Less vulnerability. More options.  
Jay: Okay say two cars down, two cars back, two cars there. We'll keep the Audi. You or Nitin can drive it - or Sammy. Nitin is fond of the Audi. I'll rent something else nice - an SUV. Maybe a Land Rover. Samira and I will take the other car down. You and Sammy and Nitin in the Audi. Two hotels.

Gale: That can work.

Jay: Guns here tomorrow or next day.

Gale: I have guns.

Jay: You could have saved us a trip to Kohat.

Gale: Nah, you need your own guns.

Jay nods: I do.

Jay: So trip down, two hotels. Stay one night, sell the stones the next day. Appear at three other jewelers with a third stone. I'll go on-line pick out three other jewelers in different parts of town. Look at reviews. Samira is a pop singer and Deepesh her boyfriend is on the phone. Me on the phone as Deepesh, you as a body guard with Sammy. A band member Nitin along with Patty? . Pay for a second night in the hotels but leave after the third jeweler. Drive back?

Gale: I think that's it. Nitin as a drummer in the band. I'll round up some drumsticks. I'll make a reservation for myself. Jay reserve something for you and Samira. Nitin and Sammy can have something. Or they can stay with me.

Jay: Okay.

Gale: Samira come with me. We need to take in these pants. And we need a wrap to go over this top too.

Jay: How about the Lodhi Samira - you want a room with a little pool.

Samira: No. Can't really swim in a tiny pool. Get something with a nice view. A nice big pool and good room -good room service menu. The Imperial is nice. Not adjoining. One room.

Jay: Can I trust you not to run off with the money after we sell the diamonds? 

Samira: Why would I run off? 

Jay: Dunno. You ran off last time. 

Samira shrugs: I won't run away. 

Jay: Isn't that what you said in the bus station when you asked for money for a phone?

Samira: One room. 

Jay reluctantly: Okay. One room. 

Samira and Gale leave.

Jay calls the Imperial, books a suite with a view. 

And Jay orders a car. A Land Rover.


	12. Day 12 February 24 Delhi  High Tea with Veuve

DELHI  
ARGO  
HIGH TEA

DAY 12

Jay and Samira drive into Delhi. It's just after 1:00 pm. 

Samira: Check in at 2:00.

Samira : Is Mike taking the car?

Jay: We'll give it to him at the train station.

Jay: Probably unnecessary. Just an extra precaution. 

At the train station Samira and Jay get out. Take two bags out. Mike is waiting at the curb. Climbs in the Range rover. 

Jay: I'll call you after we've checked in. 

Gale: Okay

Gale drives away in the Range Rover.

Jay and Samira walk through the terminal, get a cab and go to the Imperial. They check in, go up to their room.

Jay unpacks. 

Samira: Nice room. Nice view. And a pool and room service. 

Jay: If you turn yourself in to the embassy, you would be free to travel in luxury again.

Samira: No. 

Jay: Pools. And room service. Massages. Pedicures, manicures. Hair cuts.

Samira glowers at him. Touches her hair. 

Jay walks over to the bed. Pushes down on it: Feels pretty comfortable. Want to try it.

Samira: I'm starving. Something to eat first. Then try the bed.

Samira: Order to the the room or go down to one of the restaurants. Nice ones here.

Jay: With your love of room service, why not have something sent up. Order me a tea.

Samira: Please? You mean please order me a tea?

Jay:Correction, I mean my beautiful obscure object of desire whom I worship, please order me a tea if it isn't too much trouble.

Samira picks up the phone and orders a High Tea for two.

Samira: They include sherry or champagne with the tea. 

Jay: Would you like that?

Samira: Yes.

Jay: Then of course.

Samira: Yes please. Champagne would be fine. Do you have Veuve Clicquot?

Samira: They do. 

She looks questioningly at Jay.

Jay: Get the Veuve. Samira, you don't need my permission.

Samira: I know. I want it to be something we are doing together. I want you to share it with me. 

Jay holds the TV remote. Looks at the schedule and goes through the on-demand.

Jay: Samira did you ever see Argo - a movie about the American hostages in Iran?

Samira: No.

Jay: Look they have it in their library. We can rent it.

Samira: You want to watch a movie tonight? In this beautiful hotel? You want to stay in the room and watch a movie an old movie about Iranian hostages?

Jay: No, I want to lie in bed with you. And I want you to see this movie. And it's about American hostages not Iran hostages. It's about Iran in 1979. And it's about an xfil. About getting hostages out.

Samira: Okay. 

Samira: I'm going to take a shower.

Jay: Not swimming? 

Samira: While I'm here. Later. Or in the morning.

Jay sits at the table, takes out several phones. Begins programming them. Calls Mike.

Jay: Hey Mike.

Jay: No having High Tea with Samira in the room. Then going to make her watch Argo with me in bed. My dad was at university in Berkeley when the hostages were taken. He had dual British and Iranian citizenship. Went back to England after 79. He's never been back to Iran. 

Jay: Samira's good. She's good. Seems to be having fun.

Samira comes out of the bathroom drying her hair. Puts on jeans and a t-shirt.

Jay offers her the phone: Gale.

Samira takes the phone: Gale? I AM having fun so far. Don't see why I have to watch a old movie. But its what he wants.

A knock on the door: Room Service

Jay to Mike: Will touch base in the morning. I'll find three jewelers we can use. Names? Samira is Patty. Has to be Patty. You be Mark, let Sammy be Luke and Nitin can be Matthew. Okay maybe it is too obvious. But you wanted something quick. If you want to change the names let us know. I'll practice Patty with Samira. Call us if you need anything. 

Jay hangs up. 

At the door again louder: ROOM SERVICE

Jay motions to Samira: Go stand over there.

He opens the door. The room service waiter rolls in a cart with a beautiful tea service. A tiered plate of tea sandwiches. Cookies. Scones. Chocolates. Clotted cream. Jams. A bottle of champagne. Flutes. Fine china plates cups. Tea pot. Coffee pot. 

Jay to Samira: It's okay.

Samira: It's beautiful. Thank you.

Room service waiter: May I open the champagne for you.

Jay: Please.

He opens the champagne. May I pour for you?

Samira: No thank you. I'll serve.

The room service waiter puts the champagne in a silver ice bucket.

Room Service Waiter: Is there anything else?

Samira shakes her head.

Jay tips him.

Samira makes a plate of sandwiches, cookies and scones for Jay. Serves him. Pours tea for him. Then makes a plate for herself.

Samira: Champagne?

Jay: I'll taste yours.

Samira pours a flute of champagne - toasts Jay. Whoever you are. Thank you. Drinks down most of the flute.

Samira: So good.

Jay pulls her to him: Let me taste. 

He kisses her, licks her lips lightly: Its good.

Samira laughs: I'm pouring you some. You won't get much that way.

Jay: Only way to drink champagne - from the lips of your lover.

Samira: Yeah, yeah. You've licked champagne off girls' lips so many times.

Jay: I've been waiting for you.


	13. Day 13  February 25 PINK HAIRED BAND GIRL, SELLING STONES, WENDY AND THE LOST BOYS

Mike and Sammy pick up Jay and Samira at the bus station as planned. Samira isn't dressed in the singer clothes or the wig. Just jeans and a t-shirt.

Sammy is dressed in baggy clothes a floppy hat, a mustache. 

Sammy: I hear you have a hot singer outfit. I was hoping to see it.

Samira: You look like an Afghan war lord. You'll see my pink-hair-pop-singer later.

They go first to the jeweler that Nitin's jeweler recommended.

Jay gives the two boxes with the two diamonds to Sammy. Thanks man. I owe you. Sammy takes the two diamonds, enters, is involved in a fairly brief negotiation, leaves with a cloth satchel. Smooth as silk. Gives the satchel to Jay. $180,000. 90k for each stone. American dollars. 

Mike drops Samira and Jay back at their hotel. They take the money up to Samara's room. Dollars banded and in packets. They stack the money in the safe. Samira takes out the third diamond. 

Samira puts on the pants, halter-top. Make-up. Bright lipstick. Eye shadow. Eyelashes. She puts on a hoodie, flat shoes. She puts the wig and the shoes in a bag. They go downstairs and take a cab to the train station. Then another cab to the bus station. Samira goes in the bathroom and puts on the wig and the shoes. Puts the hoodie and the shoes in the bag. Puts the bag in the trash can in the bathroom. Comes out. Jay watches her and calls Mike. She's going out. Pick her up now.

Mike and Nitin drive up in front of the bus station in the Audi and pick up Samira. Mike now has a mustache. A suit jacket. He has a thuggish look. Hair oiled back. Nitin has a goatee and black pants almost as tight as Samira's. He's wearing a tight silver shirt with pearl buttons. He has drum sticks. 

Sammy drives up in the Range Rover and picks up Jay. Sammy's hair is slicked back with oil. He is wearing an shoulder holster. A bright plaid suit jacket is on the back seat. Jay and Sammy follow Mike. Mike pulls over. 

Jay pulls in behind Mike. Sammy gets out of the Range Rover and gets in the car with Mike and Samira and Nitin. They drive away. Jay follows them.

They park near the jewelry shop Jay selected - the first of three. They walk down the street. Mike dials Jay on his phone as they walk up to the store. 

Mike: Where are you? 

Jay: Down the street I see you. 

Mike keeps the line open. 

Mike Samira and Nitin enter the jewelry shop. Sammy stands just outside the door, moves his jacket back so his shoulder holster and gun can be seen. Guarding. Obvious presence. The jeweler initially looks alarmed by the group. Mike is holding Samira's arm. Nitin plays air drums with the drum sticks. Samira leans over takes the jewelers hand. I have a stone to sell. The jeweler inhales, smiles at Samira, looks at her bare midriff turns his head to see the sides of her breasts revealed by the halter top. 

Mike: Show him the stone. 

The jeweler's eyes stay on Samira. 

Samira looking the jeweler in the eyes: Have you been to my concerts? 

Jeweler: No but I want to go. 

After a moment he shakes his head and says: Okay yeah let me see the stone. 

Jay listens from the car.

Jeweler picks up the stone, examines it, weighs it. Smiles broadly.

Jeweler: Fine stone. I can sell this no trouble. 

But he makes a low offer. 60 K

Samira: I have to call my boy friend Deepesh. It's his decision.

Samira calls “Deepesh.” Jay answers on one of the other phones. 

Samira: Deepesh, honey. He says he can pay $60 thousand for it. 

Samira puts Jay on speaker.

Jay: No It is worth almost twice that. Tell him no. Its a good stone. At 60 he could make 40 k on it. Too much profit. We'll try somewhere else. 

Samira: I'm so sorry. You heard my boyfriend, Deepesh says that's not enough. 

The jeweler asks them to give him time to think about it. They say they will call him later and they leave.

Second of the jewelers Jay picked almost the same story. They park nearby. Jay follows, parks down the street. Sees them go in. 

Samira has put on the wrap but when she enters the store takes off the wrap, hands it Nitin and shrugs in the halter. They show a diamond but the jeweler can't take his eyes off Samira. Samira asks if he's been to her concerts. He says yes. And asks for her autograph. Mike shakes his head.

Samira: Oh I'm so sorry I hurt my hand last night. I'm not supposed to do any writing. But I promise I'll send you a picture and an autograph when I get back. 

The Jeweler tears his eyes away from Samira and looks at the diamond.

But he offers a bit more.

Samira calls 'Deepesh” says to Jay he'll give us 65 k for it.

Samira puts Jay as Deepesh on the speaker. 

Jay: Too low. Stone is worth more. He can go higher and still make a profit. We'll try someone else. 

Samira: Sorry. You heard. My boyfriend Deepesh says the offer is too low.

The jeweler asks them to wait but the three are already on their way out the door. 

The third jeweler is on a side street. Rather dark. Barred windows. Barred door. A Shiva statue in the window. The door is locked.

Samira: Don't like this place.

Mike: It's fine. We've got guns.

Samira: The door is locked.

Sammy: Hey, maybe two places is enough.

Sammy calls Jay: Where are you? Jay, don't like the look of this place.

Jay: I'm around the corner. Couldn't find a spot. I'm close. Phone reception's okay. What does Mike say?

Sammy: Mike says go.

Jay: Then go.

Nitin to Mike: Guy expects trouble. Locks, bars. Risky. Don't have a good feeling about this place. The guy puts Shiva in window. 

Mike: We're okay.

Samira: You want to shoot someone.

Mike smiles: A little.

They knock on the door. The lock is released. Nitin, Samira and Mike go in. Sammy waits outside. Once they are all in the jeweler re-locks the door.

Sammy calls Jay: Don't like this. He's locked them in. I should have gone in with them. Out here I'm a prop. 

Jay: You are supposed to be a prop. 

Sammy: This place is not right, Jay. Man, I'm telling you. 

The jeweler barely glances at Samira. Her tight pants and halter top and what it barely covers don't interest him.

Mike glances at Samira, shakes his head, nearly imperceptible.

Jeweler is small. Pasty white skin. Dark circles under his eyes. 

Jeweler: Yes? 

Samira: My boyfriend Deepesh sent me. I have a diamond to sell.

Jeweler: Where'd you get it?

Samira (Patty): My boyfriend Deepesh took it as payment for a gambling debt. 

Jeweler: Your boyfriend is Deepesh Nayer? 

Samira: Do you know him? 

Jeweler: Heard of him. 

Samira and Mike exchange a quick glance. Mike shakes his head slightly. 

Jeweler: Let me see the stone. 

He points to the velvet board on the counter.

Samira takes out the box and dumps the stone on the board. 

He picks it up with the gem holder.

Nods to himself. Weighs it.

Jeweler: Maybe 70 k for it. Let me check on something. He turns to the back of the store quickly opens the door behind him and begins to go through the door to an office taking the holder with the stone with him. 

Mike jumps over the counter grabs the jeweler as he goes thru the door. Pushes him to the ground just inside the office door.

Mike: What are you doing, man? You can't take the stone. 

Nitin calls Jay and Sammy.

Nitin: The jeweler tried to leave with the stone. Mi.. I mean John stopped him.

Mike: Get the stone ah Patty.

Samira: How do I get around the counter.

Mike: Jump over it, I did. 

Samira just stands there. 

Nitin: I think I can find the release for the counter. 

Mike is holding the gun on the jeweler. The jeweler is on the floor sitting with his back to the wall. His holder and the diamond are on the floor about two feet from him. He looks at his holder and the diamond.

He reaches out to pick up the holder and the diamond.

Mike: Don't move. If you move even a little, I'll shoot you.

The jeweler purses his lips. Glares at Mike.

Nitin feels along the back edge of the counter, finds the release for counter gate pushes it. A lock clicks. He walks to the end of the counter lifts up the gate there. Here, Sa uh Patty. You can come through here. 

Nitin shrugs: Same as my jeweler friend's. [need a name for Nitin's jeweler].

Samira walks through to the back. Mike is still holding the gun on the jeweler.

Mike to Nitin: Try the front door. Sa uh Patty, you try the back. 

Nitin: Still locked.

Samira: Locked. 

Mike to Nitin: Call uh

Nitin: Luke?

Mike: Yah Luke tell him and Deepesh what is going on.

Nitin: Uh Luke. We are locked in right now. We're okay. Uh John is holding a gun on the jeweler. He tried to leave out the back with stone. Front and back doors locked. 

Mike points to the stone and the holder on the floor. 

Mike: Sa - uh Patty get the diamond. 

Samira reaches down picks up the holder and the diamond. Releases the diamond from the holder, puts it back in the box, puts the box in her pocket. 

Mike: Keep the holder.

Samira: Okay.

Samira puts the holder in her pocket.

Samira looks around the office.

On the desk she picks up a paper shows it to Mike.

Samira: Look at this. Look what he has

It is the flier with the reward offer from Deepesh's mother.

Mike motions to Samira, whispers to her: Don't touch anything else. 

Mike: So you were going to take the diamond, sell it and then turn Deepesh in for the for the reward. What were you going to do? Call the number on the flier and keep us locked in til they came for us?

The jeweler slinks back, glares.

Mike: Unlock the door. Now

The jeweler shakes his head.

Mike takes out a silencer. Screws it onto the barrel of the gun. 

Mike: Your gonna make me shoot you aren't you, you fucker. You don't' think I'll shoot you but I will. I'm actually in the mood to shoot someone today.

Mike. Unlock the door. Now. Last chance.

Mike: You aren't holding any cards here man.

The jeweler starts to shake his head and Mike shoots him in the foot. The jeweler screams, bends forward, there is a hole in his shoe, blood seeping out. The jeweler moans.

Jeweler: You shot me.

Mike: You locked us in.

Mike: Matthew tell Luke and Depeesh the jeweler and I are discussing the locked doors.

Mike: I'll shoot your other foot and then one hand then the other and then I'll blind you one eye at a time. With my thumb. Or maybe a hand then an eye then another hand and then an eye. Not sure yet. Unlock the door.

The jeweler is moans. Holds his foot. Blood seeps through his fingers onto the floor.

Samira: Just what you hoped for? 

Mike smiles: Well, yeah.

Mike to the jeweler. Unlock the door. Last chance for your other foot. Then it's knees or hands, eyes depending on how I feel. Maybe eyes. I mean it. Last chance .

Jeweler voice high almost a squeak, in obvious pain: Top right drawer. False drawer, face folds down - lock release switches inside.

Mike: Matthew open it.

Nitin opens the drawer and pushes the buttons. The front and back doors unlock

Sammy comes in immediately. Gun drawn.

Sammy to Jay on the phone: I'm in. Doors unlocked.

Sammy: You shot him in the foot.

Mike: Had to. Poor cooperation. 

Sammy: I want to shoot him too. In the other foot.

Mike: Not necessary.

Sammy: I want to though. How about then a second shot in the same foot?

The jeweler begins to whimper.

Sammy to the jeweler: I'm just kidding man. I hate blood. Why'd you do that man? Lock them in? Stupid.

The jeweler continues to whimper.

Mike: Patty you and your drummer leave now. Explain to Deepesh what happened.

Sammy to Jay on phone: Deepesh. Hey man. Come pick-up Patty and Matthew. Little trouble here. Mike uh John and I are going to stay behind for a few minutes to talk with the jeweler.

Nitin and Samira go out the door. Jay pulls up. Sammy opens the back passenger door. 

Sammy: Get in.

Samira: I want to ride in front.

Sammy: No get in the back. Don't argue. 

Sammy: I need it this way for me and Mike to get in easily - get away fast. 

Sammy: Patty do what I say. 

Jay: Fuck sake Samira we are all here helping you. Do what he says. We shouldn't have to argue with you.

She gets in. Makes a face. Not helping me just doing what Jay says.

Sammy leans in tells Jay to wait a couple of minutes. Sammy walks to the back of the Range Rover opens the hatch. Opens the duffel. He takes out ties, duct tape and gloves. Slams the hatch door down. 

Sammy hits the side of the car: Okay go man. We'll call you. About 20 minutes.

Jay drives away. 

Sammy goes back in. Puts on the gloves. Goes over to the jeweler pulls the jeweler's hands behind him, secures them with the ties and puts duct take over his mouth. The jewelers eyes are wide with terror. 

Mike: Get the bullet. Search the office. Look for a guns. Drugs. Cameras. 

Jeweler shakes his head. A muffled no. 

Sammy moves the jeweler's foot. The jeweler screams. 

Sammy: Through and through. In the floor though. Gets out a small knife removes the bullet. Wipes it on the jewelers shirt. Picks up the bullet puts it in his pocket. Then begins searching. Finds a baggie of thick white powder. A spoon. Also a small hand gun. Finds the flier Samira had.

Sammy: Hey man. What's this? 

Sammy waves the flier at the jeweler. You gonna make trouble for Deepesh? Sammy puts the flier in his pocket. 

Jeweler looks away. 

Mike: This yours? 

Points to the baggie. Sammy opens the baggie, smells it. 

Sammy: Vinegar. Nice bag of heroin here. Pretty pure stuff. 

Jeweler eyes wide shakes his head. 

Sammy: Not your spoon either?

Sammy tosses the bag to Mike.

Mike tosses the bag to the jeweler. The baggie falls in the jeweler's lap. The foot continues to seep blood onto the carpet. 

Mike: We don't want your heroin. We will take your gun. You got a little problem with the white stuff? 

Mike nods to the counters in front. 

Mike: You sell off the real stones to feed your habit? Now fake gems out front? You selling paste? 

The jeweler looks down. 

Sammy unloads the gun he found, puts the gun and the clip in his pocket.

Mike: You got cameras in here?

Jeweler vigorously shakes his head. 

Sammy: I don't see any cameras or receivers man. May be here, but I can't see 'em. 

Mike: If I find out there were cameras, I'll come back, you understand? And I'll call the papers and tell them about your little problem with the white stuff and I'll tell them your selling fake stones. You got that. 

The jeweler nods. Eyes wide. 

Mike to the jeweler: Look man. I'm sorry about your foot. You can turn Deepesh in for the $50 grand. We don't really care. Even tell them about the girl and the drummer. But don't you say anything about us. Nothing about me or my friend Luke here. We're just security, we don't care about them. They're just a temporary job. We don't want to get in trouble, lose our jobs for shooting you. You understand?

The jeweler nods.

Mike: Wait 24 hours. Take a couple of tylenol and if you can stand it pour some peroxide on it. Get somebody to look at the foot. You got somebody you can go to? You need a tetanus shot and to wash out the wound. You should be fine. Most foot wounds heal fine. People shoot themselves in the foot in USA all the time. But get it checked out. Okay? Tell them you accidently shot yourself with your gun. And you threw the gun away. Got that?

The jeweler nods again.

Mike: If you say anything if there is anything at all in the papers about me or my friend here, any pictures anything, I'll come back. I won't kill you. I'll shoot you in the back and paralyze you and leave you alive or I'll gouge out your eyes and blind you. I'd hate to do that. But you've been a asshole. The girl just wanted to sell a stone. You ought to get help for the heroin problem man it screws people up, makes people do dumb-shit things.

The jeweler is crying. He nods.

Mike: Today was your lucky day. You may get 50k, no work on your part. Just an injured foot and you keep your heroin. If I come back you won't keep any heroin. I'll sell it or I'll flush it in front of you. And it won't be just a foot. Understand?

The jeweler still crying nods.

Mike: Call Deepesh.

Mike walks over to the jeweler, takes a hunting knife out. The jeweler screams through the tape. Wets himself. 

Mike: Oh man you wet yourself. Sorry didn't mean to scare you so much. Relax I'm going to free your hands. 

Mike cuts the ties, leaves the tape. 

Mike: You can lock up when we leave. 

Mike sniffs: Might want to clean up too, change. And get the foot looked at. Should be fine. 

The jeweler nods. Remains sitting on the floor. Rubs his hands. Mumbles thank you through the tape. 

Sammy calls: Hey we're ready.

Sammy to Mike: ETA 2 minutes

They walk out as Jay drives up.

Samira leans over opens the back door. Mike slides in next to her. Sammy gets in front with Jay. 

Mike slaps the back of Jay's seat: Drive man.

Jay: All good?

Sammy: All good.

Mike laughing: God that was fun. Man I do miss it sometimes. And we picked up another gun. 

Samira punches Mike in the shoulder.

Samira: Did I turn into Wendy? Is this fucking Neverland. What are you the lost boys?

Sammy, Nitin and Jay laugh.

Mike kisses her on the cheek: Our Wendy. Will you be our mother? 

Sammy: Still would kind of like to have shot him just for the inconvenience he caused.

Mike: This way is better. He did us a favor. This plays. You'll see. He'll ask for the reward. This plays. It's better even than we planned.

Samira punches him in the arm again.

Mike to Samira: Ouch. What is that for? 

Samira: That's for enjoying it so much. 

Jay: Careful with her. She bites too. 

Jay: I'll drive around a little then take you back to the Audi. Get our things, check out. Then back to Jaipur now. Meet up at Samira's flat. It's three now. Should be in Jaipur by 10 or 11. Settle up there.

^^^*^^^

It's 11:30 They are in Samira's flat. Samira has on jeans and a t-shirt. She is holding a whiskey. Jay, Sammy, Nitin and Mike are back in their usual clothes. Mike and Sammy's hair is still slicked back giving them a gangster look. The men sit at the table, one on each of the four sides. They have drinks. Jay water. Sammy whiskey. Mike and Nitin beer. 

Samira: No room for me. 

Sammy: Chose a lap. 

Jay: Come here. 

Samira sits in Jay's lap. 

On the table are packages and packages of banded $100 dollar bills. 

Jay: Samira take your money go put it in on the bed. We'll put it in the safe later. 

Mike helps her count out first $90,000 then $45,000. 

Samira: That's my share.

Samira takes the cash in the bedroom - puts it on the bed. 

Jay to Mike: Count what's left. 

Mike counts it: $45K. 

Jay: Make three piles. $15 each. 

Mike: 15k each? 

Jay: 15k each. 

Mike does. 

Samira comes back in sits back down in Jay's lap. 

He puts his arm around her waist. Slides his hand up a little over her t-shirt, touches the bottom of her breast. Samira slides his hand back down. With his other hand, Jay slides one pile of $15K to Sammy, one to Mike, one to Nitin. 

This is my thanks and Samira's for helping us. 

Sammy: This is too much man. I'd have done it for free. 

Jay: I know you would. 

Nitin: Yeah. Way too much. 

Mike: Take the money. He wants to give it to us. Don't insult him. We all did a good job. Samira you were great. And this is the most fun I've had in a long time. I should be paying you. 

Mike laughs: Thanks man. Very generous. 

Sammy: Thanks 

Nitin. Thanks. 

Mike still laughing: The gang that couldn't shoot straight. The lost boys. 

Jay: I want to take Wendy here to bed now. Can't do that til you guys leave. 

They take the money get up to leave. Shake hands with each other and with Jay, thanking Jay again. Kissing Samira on the check. 

Mike to Samira: My god, you were great. 

They leave. 

Samira goes in the kitchen. Pours another whiskey. 

Samira: Want some? 

Jay shakes his head. 

Samira comes sits down at the table across from him. 

Samira: Why'd you do that? They didn't expect it. 

Jay: I don't need it. I have more money than I need right now. 

Samira: I might need it. 

Jay: You can't have it. You didn't honor your agreement with me in Goa to split the stones 50/50. If you had just asked me in Goa for my half of the stones or most of the money, I would have given you the stones and the money. I would have given you anything you asked for. I would have given you anything you wanted.

Samira: How about now? 

Jay: No. My beautiful obscure object of desire. Not now. 


	14. Day 14  February 26  Encore of the Halter Top  Fun boy

Samira and Jay are sitting at the table. Samira in a t-shirt and shorts. Jay in a long shirt and shorts. Both are barefoot. The phone buzzes, vibrates. Jay answers pushes speaker. 

Jay: Hey Gale. You're on speaker. Samira is sitting here with me. 

Gale: Hey Wendy, I've got to get the wig and the clothes, even the shoes. We have to destroy them.

Jay: I want her to keep the top. 

Gale: You know she can't. Buy her another one. 

Gale: I'll be by this afternoon about 3 to get stuff and Jay you and I can return the Range Rover then

Gale hangs up.

Jay: I'd like to see you one more time in that top and those pants. 

Samira pauses, long look at him: Okay. 

Samira gets the costume and the wig goes in the bathroom. Puts on the costume, the wig, shoes, does her make-up. 

Samira comes out. She curtsies. 

Samira: For your viewing pleasure.

Jay: Had a little more in mind than viewing. 

Jay gets up walks around the table over to her, puts his hands around her waist. Slides his hands up inside the halter stroking her breasts slowly gently.

Jay: Every guy who saw you in this top wanted to do this.

Samira: Not every guy. The Shiva jeweler didn't want to. He didn't even even notice. Lots of Indian men ignore seeing a little breast because of the saris. What they get worked up by is a glimpse of a leg or a thigh. 

Jay: I wanted to. Every time I saw you in this top I wanted to do this. 

Jay kisses her, runs his hands under the top. Cups her breasts. This top just invites this. 

Jay: Pants are sexy too. 

Moves his hands down from her breasts over her hips and legs in the satin pants. 

Jay: Sexy. 

Jay puts his hands back under the beaded top. Unhooks the top in the back, lifts it, kisses her breasts. 

Jay: You should dress like this all the time.

Samira: Sure sure. 

Jay: Take off these pants. Leave the top on and put the shoes back on.

Samira does.

Jay: Take off that wig.

Samira: Not a fan of pink hair?

jay: Like your hair a lot more. 

Jay leads her into the kitchen. Lifts her up on the counter.

Jay slides his hand back under the top.

Jay: Seeing you in this top was driving me crazy. 

Jay: Slide forward a little. 

Jay: Advantages of a kitchen counter.

Samira: Are people allowed to have sex in the kitchen on the counters?

jay: Isn't kitchen sex in your Kama Sutra?

Samira: No don't remember anything about kitchens or kitchen counters. 

Jay: Pretty sure it's in there. 

Samira: Who knew you would be so susceptible to a top like this?

Jay: Any man with a functioning libido is susceptible to a top like this.

Samira: Even ascetic soldier types, yeah? 

Jay: Seems so. Stop talking.

Samira puts her hands in his hair: 

Samira: This hair is pretty sexy. 

Bites him softly on the cheek. Puts her arms around his neck. 

Jay kisses her. Long kiss. Wraps his arms around her pulls her to him. She wraps her legs around him. 

Sex in the kitchen, Samira against the front of the counter, Jay holding her there. 

Jay: Don't think I can live without you, Tapicoa. 

After, lifts her down kisses her slowly softly. 

Jay: Let's go back to bed for a little while. 

They are back in bed.

Samira: You know part of why I left you in Goa was I thought you'd be boring. Well, not boring, I thought you'd be inhibited. Too disciplined. Too religious. That before long you would disapprove of me. Or try to change me. You were very sweet to me, kind and tender but you were so controlled. So restrained. So serious. 

Jay moves away from her.

Jay: You thought I was boring?

Samira: Not boring. Controlled. Serious. Overly disciplined. Distant. I just thought you wouldn't be fun. Like Deepesh was fun.

Jay: Fun? I'm fun. I can be fun. 

Samira: You are fun. Being with you is interesting and exciting. You're fun.

Jay: You left me in Goa cause you thought I wouldn't be fun? Too religious? Too serious? Too disciplined. Wouldn't be any fun? Wouldn't be as much fun as Deepesh? You left me because you thought I wouldn't be fun? 

Jay: I'm fun. 

He gets up and goes in the kitchen. Opens the refrigerator door. Takes out a water. Shuts the fridge. Drinks from the bottle. Takes the bottle back to the bedroom puts it on the table by bed. 

Pulls on his shorts, pants and shrugs into a t-shirt. 

Jay: I'm going out for awhile. Keep the door locked. 

Samira: Wait. Please.

Samira: Wait. No you are fun that's what I was trying to say. I was wrong that you weren't fun

Samira: Please don't go.

Samira: You're fun and exciting. That is what I was trying to say. 

Jay: You left me in Goa cause you thought I wasn't fun. Too inhibited. Too religious.

Samira: You are fun. It's exciting being with you. 

Samira: Goa was fun. Sex with you is fun. Darrra Adam Khel was fun. Shooting was fun. Exciting. I loved shooting. Driving to Lahore was fun. Swimming nude was fun. With you and Sammy watching out for me. You and Sammy are fun. Your music is interesting. You are not really inhibited. Like the chair. You're playful. The dressing-up as Saroosh and dressing as the pop singer was fun. The jewelry store Wendy and the lost boys was fun. A little scary but fun. It's exciting being with you. Interesting. You are fun and you can be uninhibited. And sexy and funny and sweet. And kind. And caring. I was wrong about you. You're not too religious you are religious but it's okay and you can be controlled and restrained but it's not a problem not going to be a problem and I thought you'd be disapproving of me sooner or later. But you're not so far. 

Jay: How could you think I wasn't fun? I'm fun. Everyone knows I'm fun.

Samira: Stop. Don't go. 

Jay: I'm fun.

Jay opens the door: Stay here. When Gale comes give him the clothes and the wig. I'll call him about the Land Rover. 

Samira: Wait. 

He walks out. Slams the door. 

*

Samira is in bed, sleeping.

>Jay comes in, turns the light on.

Samira opens her eyes but doesn't lift her head up from the pillow: You're back. What time is it?

Jay: I'm back. It's 4:15

Samira: I don't know how to talk to you.

Samira: I was trying to say something good. Say something more about what happened in Goa. I'm sorry.

Jay: Nothing to be sorry about. I'm sorry. I have a temper. And you are right. I'm controlled. I'm serious. Religious. That is not all there is to me. I like it that you said you know that. I want you to want to be with me. I want it to be exciting and interesting with me, and fun. And you are right, I don't laugh that much. After my mother was killed I didn't laugh at all for a couple of years. I still don't laugh that much. You make me laugh. With you I laugh. 

Jay shakes his head, laughs sheepishly: And I don't know why I said, "Everyone knows I'm fun."

Samira sits up, laughs.

Samira: Everyone knows I'm fun?

Samira laughs and laughs: Everyone knows I'm fun?

Jay laughs too. They are both laughing. Samira tries to stop laughing. Can't stop. Says it again: Everyone knows I'm fun. 

Starts laughing again.

Jay gets on the bed with her.

Jay: It is not that funny.

Samira: Everyone knows I'm fun?

She can't stop laughing.

Jay starting to laugh again himself: Okay it is that funny.

She pulls him over to her.

Samira: Come here fun-boy.

Jay: Stop. Please stop. I went to be serious. Stop. I want to tell you something.

Samira covers her mouth. Make an effort to stop laughing. Gets control of herself with effort.

Samira serious again: Okay. Okay.

Jay: Samira I told you my mother is Nepalese and Irish. Only thing I seem to have gotten from the Irish-side of the family is a temper

Jay: I get suddenly angry. Just takes hold of me. I can get furious. I would never hurt you. But I go off like this sometimes. Not often.

Samira: With Deepesh?

Jay: Yeah. It happened that day with Deepesh when he put his hands on you in the car. And when he hit me in the back of the head with the rock.

Jay: This wasn't like that. Well I guess it was a mini mini version. I was suddenly mad at you. I was mad thinking about how you left me in Goa. I was mad you were comparing me to Deepesh and I thought you were saying he was fun and I wasn't. Saying that he was better for you. I don't like to think about you with him. That I feel that way surprises me. Never felt that way about anyone else. Never been jealous or possessive with a girl.

Samira: Irish temper. You were annoyed when we were at the India border-crossing and I brought up the Kama Sutra and Deepesh.

Jay: I was mad. You teased me out of it.

Samira smiles: You know when I very first got a glimpse of your playful side? It was when we were in Amritsar. You came to my door and you said, "I'm going out. Stay here." And you took my keys off the bed.

Jay: And you said sarcastically, "Where would I go?" Your sarcasm fascinated me. Attracted me.

Samira: And you winked at me. When you took the keys, you winked at me. Do you remember?

Jay: Don't know why I winked. I guess cause I couldn't think of anything to say.

Jay kisses her.

Jay: I'm pretty sure I love you.

Samira: You should fun-boy. I can make you laugh.


	15. DAY 15 FEBRUARY 27  IF YOU WANT TO SELL A STORY ... ARGO RULES

Jay and Samira are sitting at the dining table. Samira has coffee. Jay a tea. 

Samira: What are you reading? 

Shows her the phone.

Samira: Is this the India Times? It worked?

Jay nods. Smiles wolfishly.

She begins reading out-loud from Jay's.

DEEPESH NEYER MISSING JEWELRY HEIR SEEN

Deepesh Neyer was seen with pink-haired pop singer Patty Chopra in several jewelry stores in Delhi Tuesday. Reportedly Mr. Neyer was trying to sell some diamonds. One jeweler is said to have estimated the value of the diamonds as $100,000 each. 

Patty Chopra denies any involvement with Mr. Neyer. Ms. Chopra claims she doesn't know him, has never met him and wasn't with him in Delhi Tuesday "or any other time." Her drummer Nev Shukla was also reportedly with them. The drummer also denies knowing Mr. Neyer. "Don't know him, never met him. Don't want to know him." Mr. Shukla punctuated his remarks by poking reporter Mr. Deepet Shetty of the India Times in the chest with a drum stick leaving several a bruises. The reporter says he is considering filing assault charges against the drummer.

Since the jewelers' reports, several people have come forward reporting other sightings of Ms. Chopra and Mr. Neyer together. Dean Patel and his girl friend reportedly saw Mr. Neyer and Ms. Chopra at AnnaMaya' "Lazy Sunday Breakfast". "Yeah we saw them.They thought no one would recognize them. But we did. They were holding hands and kissing. They should have been arrested. If we were kissing in public, we would have been arrested. Celebrities they get away with anything." Goyal Ajit and several of his friends report they saw Mr. Neyer and Ms. Chopra at Kitty Su the popular night club several days ago. "Yeah" said Mr. Ajit when told Ms. Chopra denied knowing Mr. Neyer "She denies everything. She was probably wasted. She looked wasted. " 

Deepesh Neyer's mother has offered a reward of $50,000 for information on the whereabouts of Deepesh. Reportedly one of the jewelers is claiming the reward money. 

Mrs. Neyer told the India Times that she is trying to meet with Ms. Chopra but that Ms. Chopra has refused to meet with her. "I don't know anything. I don't know him. Why should I meet with her? I have nothing to tell her. I wish she would leave me alone." Mrs. Neyer is scheduled to appear on TV on the India Today show tomorrow morning to discuss these latest developments. Mrs. Neyer said about Patty Chopra's denials, "She protests too much. Who can believe what she says?" 

There is no word on Ms. Samira Meghwar or her whereabouts. Ms. Meghwar was reportedly kidnapped in Pakistan the night before her scheduled wedding to Abu Meghwar. There has been wide-spread speculation that Mr. Deepesh Neyer was involved in her kidnapping though it has been verified that Mr. Neyer was in London when Ms. Meghwar was kidnapped. The two were linked romantically by their London friends. After the kidnapping, Ms. Meghwar was reportedly seen with Mr. Neyer at the Samode Palace in Jaipur and was seen later also in Kathmandu with him. 

Records show that Ms Chopra had several concerts in Kathmandu at the time Mr. Neyer and Ms. Meghwar were seen there. Several people have come forward saying they saw Ms Meghwar and Mr Neyer at more than one of Ms. Chopra's concerts. Mr. Neyer was reportedly also seen in Kathmandu alone with Ms. Chopra without Ms Meghwar . When asked about these sightings, Ms. Chopra said, "Lies. Delusions." 

There has been no sign of Ms Meghwar since Kathmandu . Ms Chopra said she has no information about Ms. Meghwar. "I only know what I read on-line." 

Samira: Good plan.

Jay: If you want to sell a story let the press do it for you. Argo: Chapter 7 verse 4.

[Note to self. Look this up get accurate chapter from movie. ]

Jay laughs.

Samira: You don't laugh enough.

Jay: You make me laugh. 

Samira: You love Argo don't you. 

Jay: Measure of Excellence as an ex-fill. There is another great ex-fil, the MI6s got a Russian out, Gordievsky. Different but a great x-fil. American CIA nearly got Gordievsky killed.

Samira: What you're a cataloger of ex-fils?

Jay: Practitioner? Cataloger? No, more a student of ex fils. I like history. Including history of ex-fils. Lots of it social engineering. 

Jay: No one saw Deepesh after Jaipur. He was dead. The jewelers think the saw him because they heard a voice that was supposed to be his. These other people. Maybe honest mistake, maybe attention seeking. 

Phone buzzes. 

Its Gale.

Jay: Yeah we are reading it now. 

Jay: Worked great.

Gale: Am I on speaker?

Jay: Yeah

Gale: Hey Samira you are still missing but it is pretty clear now your boyfriend left you for that pink-haired slut. 

Samira: Slut-shaming Gale? 

Gale laughs. 

Gale: How long are you here for Jay? 

Jay: Leaving tomorrow for Goa with Samira. Probably three or four days. Gotta get back. Got a job waiting. Samira may stay down in Goa for awhile. Why don't you come down and spend some time there. It's a nice place. Great house. Two bedrooms. Right on the beach. Samira could use the company.

Gale: Okay. Thanks. I'll call you Samira. I'll come down. We'll find a date. 

Samira: I'd like that. 

Gale: Jay, it's been great man. Stay in touch. Are you taking the guns?

Jay: Yeah. Think we're going to have to drive. We'll make it pleasant.

Gale: Man that's 35 hours. Let me see what I can do about getting you a flight. I know some people. Got an old army buddy who flies out of Mumbai and Jaipur. Let me call him Maybe he can help. Maybe he can take care of the guns for you. Army buddy, army pilot. Lives here now. Indian wife. I'll call you back. Don't rent a car til you hear from me. 

Gale hangs up.

Samira: So now we go to Goa? 

Jay: Now we go to Goa. 32 hours by bus. 5 hours by plane. Maybe Gale can get us a flight. Otherwise 30 hours by car. 

Samira: The bus wasn't bad. It was nice on the bus. Just being there so close to you. In our own little world. Peaceful. Pretty drive. But long. 

Samira: Flying would be good. I want to get back to the beach house and the water. The palm trees. I feel homesick for the beach house for Goa. 

Jay: I could leave the guns here. We could leave money here in the safes. But I want you to have a shotgun in Goa. And I want to keep one or two of my guns or at the beach house. You should keep some money down there. The bank ATM's are fine, but you should keep cash where you can get to it. It wouldn't be that bad if Gale can't find a flight and we have to drive. We could make it leisurely. Stop for the night. Share the driving. You're a good driver. Long lunches. Sight see. 

Samira: Okay. 

Jay: Did you like the Range Rover, the Audi? 

Samira: I like jeeps. 

Jay: Jeeps? 

Samira: I just like jeeps. 

Jay: They are not very comfortable. 

Samira: I always wanted one. 

Samira: De gustibus non est disputandum, isn't it? 

Jay laughs. 

Jay: Well I don't want to drive to Goa in a jeep. I've spent a lot of time in jeeps and you may like them but they are not comfortable enough for me for a 32 hour drive while I have the choice to be in something else. Practically anything else. 

Samira: There are nice jeeps. 

Jay: We turned in the Land Rover. Nitin still has the Audi. I like the Audi. Are you comfortable in the Audi? You drove it part way to Amritsar. 

Samira: Yeah. It's fine. 

Jay: Leave tomorrow. I'll buy safes for the beach house and bring them down. I want to get some cash from the bank. I'll fly back to England from Goa. 

Samira: Okay 

Jay looks at his phone. 

Jay: They do have luxury jeeps. 

Samira: I like the little square ones. 

Jay: Compromise. If we can't fly with our guns, I'll get a jeep but a luxury jeep. 

Jay: I live to please you. 

Samira: Not the kind of Jeep I meant.

Jay: Will have to do, dumpling. 

Samira: Are you taking your stones to Goa? 

Jay: No. I'm going to leave them here. In the Bank of India. I'll be back in December. I might get them then. 

Jay: I want to put 3 safes in Goa. Mine yours and the guns. 

Phone chimes. 

Jay: Hey Gale. 

Gale: Hey. Got you a flight at 10:30 tomorrow. My buddy's flying the Jaipur to Goa route right now. I put you on his flight. He'll take the guns on as his luggage. You have a duffel or something for them? No one will check. He'll give 'em back when you land. 5 hours in the air versus 35 on the road. My gift to you two. More time at the beach. 

Jay: Thanks man. Appreciate it. I've got a duffel. 

Samira: Thanks Gale. 

Gal: I'll meet you at the airport tomorrow at 9:30 Introduce you. See you off. 

Gale hangs up. 

Samira: Much better. More time at the beach house. Nice present. I love Gale. Dinner out now? Like mostly regular people? 

Jay: Like mostly regular people. 

Samira: Like a normal couple. 

Jay: Just like a normal couple. 

Samira: Okay.


	16. DAY 16 FEBRUARY 28 FLIGHT TO GOA, BACK TO THE BEACH HOUSE

Jay, Samira and Gale are at the Jaipur airport. Jay and Samira's bags including the duffel are at their feet. Jay has his backpack (rucksack) over his shoulder as usual.

A man in a captain's uniform comes up. 

Gale: Ced. Man. Hey. Thanks a lot. I owe you. This is Captain Cedric Dulles. He used to fly the planes I jumped out of. 101st. Never knew a better pilot. Always a good ride with Ced. Guy can fly anything. Ced this is my friend Jay and my protege Samira. 

Ced: Protege? I didn't know you were open to proteges. Probably a long line if it word got out you were taking proteges.

Gale: This girl is special. 

Samira looks down. Her sweet modest look.

Gale: So my friend Jay here he won't say it but pretty sure he's SAS. Brits. Big secret. They won't say. Not like our special forces guys who brag about it, get book deals, go on the the GOP lecture circuit.

Ced laughs.

Ced: Hey Jay. Good to meet you man. 

Ced shakes Jay's hand. 

Ced: Samira. Nice to meet you. What happened you bewitch him? Never known Gale to want a protege.

Samira: Kismet. 

Ced looks down at the duffel: This the bag? Don't tell me what's in it. I'll take care of it. Just find me when we land. Ask at any check-in desk. Ask for me. They'll find me. I won't leave til you have the bag back. Flight's about 5 hours. Looks good today Weather good, no delays. 

Jay: Really appreciate this man. 

Samira: Nice meeting you.

Samira offers her hand. Ced takes it. 

Ced leaves.

Samira: Come down soon. I'll be lonely. When Jay leaves you're all I've got. 

Gale: A couple weeks. Or come back up to Jaipur. I'll call Ced, he'll fly you back up. Or if he's back on the Mumbai route, he'll get you on a flight. We can always use people to paint scenery and stitch costumes. 

Gale hugs Samira. Holds her tight. 

Gale to Jay: You take good care of her. She's one of a kind. You know that right.

Jay: I know that. 

Their flight is called.

Jay shakes Gale's hand. They take their other bags and go toward their gate.

Gale leaves.

They land in Goa. Find Ced. Retrieve the duffel with the the guns. Thank him. 

Jay: I'll go rent a car. 

Samira: A jeep please. A red one.

Jay: Okay. Red if they have it.

* 

Samira is driving.

Samira: I love jeeps. Why don't they have red ones? 

Jay: I don't know why they don't have red ones. I don't have time to find and buy a jeep before I leave. I have to leave in a few days. But Gale will be down in a couple of weeks when he comes down ask him. He'll find one for you. A good one. Maybe even a red one. Or if you can get a good one that's not red have it painted red. 

They drive up to the beach house. The palms glisten in the late afternoon sun.

Jay: I told you I stayed for a month after you left. Ate at the cafe. They asked about you and the scooter. I said we quarreled and you left me and you'd not likely be back. I told them I didn't know where you might have left the scooter but I'd pay for it. Like I said you owe me for the scooter. $700. I wanted to be able to come back. I didn't want to leave lose ends.

I'd take a chair out on the veranda and sit. Looking out at the ocean. I couldn't accept that you didn't feel what I felt. And I thought you might come back. I wanted you to come back. What was it five or six days we were together? When you left, almost the loneliest I ever felt. Felt like grief. Almost choking. I kept going back to the feeling of lying next to you when we rode down on the bus. Lying next to you was just about the most peaceful I've ever felt. I misread the signals. And it shook me. Not just because you were gone, but because I thought I couldn't trust my judgment any more. I listened to the palms and the ocean. Gradually realized this is a a pretty great place even without you.

Jay: At the end of the month, I gave up. I thought I'd never see you again. Paiod Marie for the full three months and took my broken heart and went back to London. 

Jay: Tomorrow I'll get safes and install them and I'll find a good place for the shotgun. I want to put flashlights in strategic places - easy for you to know where they are and get them if you need them.

They take their things up the stairs. 

Jay: Key under the pot. 

Samira gets the key, unlocks the door. They take their things in. They open the windows. The curtains blow a little. They walk down to the beach. Th wind is blowing off the water. Warm and smells of salt. 

They walk back to the house. Samira showers and changes into a knit t shirt and knit pants. Her usual sleeping clothes. Looks at her phone.

Jay showers. Puts on shorts and a t-shirt. 

Jay: There's some things I need to check on on my phone. 

Samira: Long day I'm going to lie down for a little while. 

Kisses him softly. 

Samira: What a long strange trip it's been. 

Samira goes into the bedroom. Curls up on the bed and falls asleep. 

Jay walks in later covers her with a blanket. Goes back in the other room sits in the chair. Concentrates on his phone. Reading, typing messages. 

Later he goes into bed and lies down next to Samira and sleeps.


	17. DAY 17 MARCH 1  BACK TO CAFE NICE COUPLE ACCEPTING SAMIRA LEAVING AT LAST

Chapter 14: DAY 14 FEBRUARY 26 BACK TO CAFE NICE COUPLE ACCEPTING SAMIRA LEAVING AT LAST

Morning at the beach house in Goa.

A warm morning. Sunny.

Jay has taken a chair out on the veranda. He is sitting just looking out at the water and the horizon.

Samira comes out. Tousled hair.

Samira: I love it here.

Jay: You should have stayed longer.

Samira: When are you leaving?

Jay: Couple of days. Probably day after tomorrow. I have to look for flights. I'll fly Spice back up to Mumbai and get a British Airways to Heathrow.

Jay: Look you'll be okay for a few years. And you really can go back to England as yourself. The amnesia story will work. No one can disprove it.

Samira: You could stay here. Stay awhile with me. A honeymoon like you wanted. 

Jay: Be careful about the cash. Don't attract attention here. You would be easy to rob.

Samira: You said I could stay here til December. You're coming back in December.

Jay: I'm coming back for a couple of months.

Samira: And I can't be here?

Jay: Keep most of the cash your brought here in the safes. Divide it. Some in one safe some in the other. Most robbers don't look for two safes, just one.

They decide on a place for the shotgun. Behind the bedroom door.

Jay: Want to go for a run with me? Along the beach.

Samira: A walk on the beach. Not a run. No. 

Jay: I'll run for half hour then come back for you and walk with you. 

Smaira: Okay 

* 

They drive to the cafe where they had been when they got the tip on the beach house.

A few people at outside tables. A few people walking past on the beach. Beautiful almost still late afternoon. 

Waitress: Oh you came back (to Samira). I guess you two patched things up. That's good. I like your hair.

Samira shakes her hair. Rolls her eyes at Jay.

They order. Eat. Easy with each other, relaxed. Jay holds her hand at times. They smile at each other. 

They drive back in the early evening.

They pull in behind the beach House. Jay gets out. Samira sits .

Jay comes around, opens her door. 

Jay: M' lady. A sus ordenes. 

He bows to her. 

Samira: What is that? Spanish? A sus ordenes? 

Jay: Spanish. At your service. It means at your service. 

Samira steps out and Jay closes the jeep door. Samira stands facing him leaning against the jeep. She is looking at him expectantly, provocatively. He puts his hand up on the door frame and leans down to kiss her. Long kiss. 

The walk up the stairs holding hands. Quiet. They go in the bedroom. Samira lies down on her side, never taking her eyes of Jay. Jay lies down next to her on his side. She bites him on the cheek.

Samira: Does that hurt? 

Shakes his head. Gentle smile. 

She kisses him on the neck. Pushes his shirt aside kisses his chest and then little gentle bites. He wraps his hands in her hair and pulls her head up to kiss her. Long slow kiss. 

Jay: I miss your hair. Your beautiful long hair. 

He rolls on top of her supporting some of his weight on his arms. 


	18. DAY 18 MARCH 2 JAY COOKS OMELETS, SEXUAL FRUSTRATION OVER SAMIRA LEAVING LAST TIME, JEALOUSY

Samira stands in the kitchen doorway.  
He has cooked breakfast. Set the table for her. Avocado omelets. He hands her a cup of coffee. Samira drinks the coffee.  
Samira: You are almost as good as room service.  
They leave the breakfast plates, walk out on the veranda. They walk down the steps out to the water. Wade for a bit walking just along the water line. They walk back.  
Jay takes her hand as they walk. Looks down at her. Face full of tenderness.  
Jay: Heart of my heart. Obscure object of desire.  
Samira: You know I can cook. I'll cook for you tonight. I'll go get some things in town.  
Jay: Okay.  
Samira leaves in the jeep.  
Jay washes the dishes.  


* 

Samira pulls up in the jeep and brings in several bags. She has fresh flowers. She finds a vase on a shelf, puts the flowers in it, puts them on the table. She begins putting the other things away.  
Samira: Were you mad when I left last November?  
Jay: Sad first. Empty. Disappointed. Then later something anger.  
Samira: Did you ever wish that you'd killed me at The Samode?  
Jay: NEVER wanted to kill you. At The Samode I wanted NOT to kill you. Never wished I killed you. But when you left me here after the disappointment later I felt rage. I felt like you belonged to me and felt I had a right to you. I knew you left because you wanted to but I didn't care then what you wanted. Being without you felt intolerable. Felt I couldn't bear it. Choked me. Made me feel sick. I wanted to bring you back and lock you up. Keep you with me. Whatever it took. Felt I had a right to make you do what I wanted. Sexually, every way. Wanted a way to force you to come back. Hated the idea of you being with someone else. Anyone else. Hated that you could be touched by someone else. Hated that you had been with Deepesh. Never understood men who felt that way about a woman or men who demanded exclusivity like they had a right to it - men who didn't care what the woman felt, men who took women violently, never understood men who were jealous, possessive. Men who raped their girl friends or wives like they had a right to them. Learned something about myself. Didn't think I was like them but I am, could be. If you had come back I might have raped you if you had resisted me at all. Maybe it was good you didn't come back.  
Samira: I wouldn't have resisted you. But if I had, you wouldn't have raped me. You wouldn't. You have too much control. You are too gentle.  
Jay: I can remember that feeling of wanting to force you to stay with me, force you to do what I wanted. The feeling isn't gone.  
Samira is standing in the doorway to the kitchen leaning against the wall.  
Samira: You don't show it.  
Jay: You want to see?  
Jay moves over and grabs Samira by shoulders, lifts her off her feet and pushes her against the wall, hjolds her against the wall, kisses her, very hard on the mouth. Steps back let her down then grabs her hands and pulls them high up on the wall and holds her hands against the wall with one hand  
Samira: Ouch.  
Jay: Be quiet.  
Obvious he doesn't care if he hurts her. Lifts up her shirt.  
Handles her breasts with his other hand. He is rough with her. Kisses her. Hard and demanding. Samira kisses him back.  
Jay lets go of her hands. Puts his hand on the back of her neck. Turn around. Holds her neck .  
She turns her back to him. He keeps his hand on the back of her neck. Puts his other hand on her back. Pushes her toward the floor.  
Jay: Kneel down. Get on your knees.  
Samira: What happens if I don't?  
Jay: I can make you. I would have to hurt you but I can make you. I'm stronger than you are.  
Samira: What happens if I say "tapioca."  
Jay pauses, steps back, loosens his hand on her neck. Starts to withdraw his hand from her neck. Keeps his hand on her back, but lightens the pressure.  
Jay: Are you saying "tapioca"?  
Samira: No.  
Jay: Then kneel down.  
He pushes her head down toward the floor.  
Jay: Get on your hands and knees.  
Samira gets down on the kitchen floor on her hands and knees.  
Samira: You like sex in kitchens?  
Jay: Stop talking  
He kneels down behind her.  
He keeps one hand on her neck. Pulls down her shorts pulls down her panties with his other hand. Strokes her between the legs..  
Unties the drawstring on his pants pulls his pants and shorts down.  
Put his hands on her waist.  
Pulls her into him.  
Jay: Arch your back.  
Keeps one hand at her waist. Guides himself into her with the other hand.  
Jay: Keep still.  
Pushes far into her. Moves quickly against her. Comes quickly. Collapses on her.  
Samira: Let me go.  
She rolls out from underneath him. Lies beside him on her back.  
Jay rolls over on his back.  
They are lying next to each other looking up at the ceiling.  
Jay pulls up his shorts and pants, ties the draw sting, stands up gives her his hand.  
Jay: Get up.  
Samira: Why?  
Jay: Cause I want to lie down on a bed not on the kitchen floor.  
She pulls up her panties and shorts.  
Takes his hand.  
They walk into the bedroom. Lie down on the bed. She puts her head on his chest. He puts his arm around her.  
Samira: Is that what you would have done if I had come back in November. Pushed me down on the kitchen floor. Taken me from the back.  
Jay: Maybe.  
Samira: You couldn't have done it that way if I hadn't cooperated.  
Jay: Maybe.  
Jay: Why didn't you say "tapioca"?  
Samira: I didn't want you to stop. I wasn't scared. You do some of your best work in kitchens.  
Leans over him, lifts his t-shirt and bites him on the chest. Pulls his t-shirt off over his head. She is aggressive.  
Samira: You like aggressive? You want aggressive?  
She bites him hard, leaves teeth marks on his chest and shoulder. He puts his hand over her mouth and she bites his fingers.  
Jay: Stop. Leave me alone. I want to sleep for a little while now.  
Samira: No. No. Aggressive? That excites you?  
Samira bites him hard on the cheek.  
Jay: Stop it. It hurts.  
She leans over him. Pulls off her t-shirt. Kisses him hard. She bites his lips. Ouch.  
Samira: I thought you wanted aggressive.  
Jay: I wanted to be aggressive. I wanted you submissive. I'm tired now.  
Samira: Too bad.  
She takes off her shorts again and her panties. She unties his pants, pulls them off. Pulls down his shorts. She gets on top of him. Straddles him. Leans forward, overhim, rubs his chest lightly with her breasts. Back and forth side to side. Scoots back. Settles over him. Forces him inside her.  
Jay: Samira, I can't. I need to wait a little while.  
Samira: You're not that tired.  
Kisses him long, slow.  
He kisses her back.  
She grabs his hands. One finger after another up to her mouth, sucks on his fingers.  
Samira: Be still. Don't move. You be submissive.  
Jay: Let go of my hands.  
Samira lets go of his hands.  
He strokes her sides, her breasts. Holds her at the waist. Begins to move slowly beneath her.  
Samira: Be still. Don't move.  
Samira moves very slowly over him. Pushes against him. A steady slow rhythm. Slowly increasing.  
He comes again.  
Jay: You are exhausting me.  
Samira: Good.  
Samira: I want to talk to you.  
Jay is asleep.  
Samira: Wake up.  
She is gentle then. Kissing him. Brushing his face with her eyelashes.  
She nudges him.  
Samira: You kept my picture on your phone. A picture of me. Why did you keep my picture?  
Jay: Shhh. You know why I kept your picture. Stop talking. I'm going to sleep now.  
Samira: Stay, don't go. Don't go back. Stay with me. Don't you want to stay here with me?  
Jay is sluggish: I won't leave in the middle of night with your money. I won't leave without saying goodbye. I won't leave with no explanation.  
Samira: Do we have to keep talking about this? What else could I do? I didn't know you. Didn't even know your name. My boyfriend was dead. You killed him. My life was completely messed-up. I didn't know you well enough to really talk to you.  
Jay sits up leans against the headboard. Yawns.  
Jay: I give up. You want to talk.  
Jay: So you didn't know me well enough to talk to me but you knew me well enough to have sex with me.  
Samira: Sex was different. I was attracted to you. You're sexy. I wanted you to want me.  
Jay: I wanted you. I wanted you from the beginning.  
Samira: I needed validation after Deepesh threw me away. And I wanted to say good-bye to you in a way you'd like. I never never meant to hurt you. You aren't my type. You are Muslim.  
Jay: You're Muslim.  
Samira: Not like you are. Muslim men. You kiss them and they think you have married them. They think one kiss means you belong to them. Sometimes the worst ones think about killing you if after that kiss you want to go on to someone else. Or they think you are a slut to be used any way they w want. .  
Jay: I'm not like that.  
Samira: You are. You just told me you are. .  
Jay: No I recognized I could be.  
Samira: I'm secular. You're religious. You're conservative. I couldn't see us together. I didn't want to stay with you. I liked you. You were nice to me you helped me. Your sexy I wanted to have sex with you. I liked sex with you. But I couldn't picture us together. You were too wide open to me. You assumed. You cared too much.  
Jay sarcastically: And you didn't care enough. You just pretended.  
Samira: I didn't pretend anything. I wasn't pretending. I just wasn't being completely honest.  
Jay:Sex with me last November was proving to yourself someone desired you? Was your nice way of saying good-bye to me? sort of charity? So kind of you.  
Samira: I told you I couldn't change course that fast. At the Samode, I was afraid you would leave me. I needed you to stay with me til we got to Goa. I was trying to figure out how to survive. Separate ways. Remember. I never said we weren't going separate ways. You just assumed we weren't.  
Jay: That kiss at the Samode pool was seduction so I'd stay with you to Goa. Just insurance? On the bus to Goa, I thought you were making promises, "Two needles lost in an our own Indian Haystack", remember that?  
Jay: Couldn't you see I wanted to take care of you help you.  
Samira: For you I was just a girl you met on a job. Someone you liked, who attracted you, who was off limits and then suddenly free for your taking. .  
Jay: Why couldn't you have given me, us, a chance?  
Samira: Why can't you give us a chance now?  
Jay: Can't now. I have to go back. I have things I have to do. And I don't trust you.  
Samira: I can see now you are tender and kind and serious. You are sweet. Then I had known you five days. But you killed two people. There could be something. I was with Deepesh for 4 years. You expected too much too soon.  
Jay is sitting against the backboard of the bed. She climbs into his lap puts a leg on each side of him. Samira kisses him. Puts her hands around his neck. Kisses his hair and his eyes, his mouth. Gently strokes his cheeks. He puts his hands on her waist. He strokes her breasts, wraps his fingers in her hair. He pushes her back down on the bed.  
Jay: Lie back.  
Puts two pillows under her. Lifts her legs up on his shoulders. Holds her legs up.  
Enters her.  
Jay: Keep your legs up. On my shoulders. Shhh. Let me.  
Samira: Go slow.  
He puts a hand on each side of her, holds his weight on his hands. Very deep inside her.  
Sex again.  
She leaves him sleeping in the bed.  
Samira showers. Dresses. Begins cooking, sets the table, flowers, candles. Finds a a big cotton apron hanging behind the door, puts it on.  
Jay wakes up. Steps into his shorts. Walks into the kitchen. Sees the set table, the flowers, the apron, the candles. Yawns.  
Jay: Domestic.  
Jay: Did we get married?  
Samira: You slept two hours. Everything is almost ready. Get dressed.  
Jay showers and dresses.  
Jay looking at the candles: Shall I light these?  
She nods: Please.  
Samira is putting dishes of steaming food on the table.  
Smaira: You leave tomorrow if I can't talk you out of it.  
Jay: Can't stay. Have to go back.  
Samira takes off the apron sits at the table. Jay sits across from her.  
Jay tastes the dishes: Good.  
Jay: So you can cook. And there's candlelight. Impressive.  
Jay: Did you ever cook for Deepesh?  
Samira: Of course not.  
Samira: Forget about Deepesh. Stop being jealous of Deepesh. Stop talking about Deepesh.  
Jay: He was with you for 4 years.  
Samira shakes her head: Behave yourself and maybe you can be with me four years.  
Jay: Four years isn't long enough


	19. DAY 19 MARCH 3  JAY SHOWS HOW TO GO SEPARATE WAYS HOW TO SAY GOOD BYE

Chapter 16: DAY 16 FEBRUARY 28 JAY SHOWS HOW TO GO SEPARATE WAYS HOW TO SAY GOOD BYE  
2nd draft  
Morning.  
The light comes from shore out onto the water.  
Jay is smoking on the veranda.  
Samira walks out. Reaches for his cigarette. He gives it to her.  
Samira: Where are you going? When you get back to London I mean. Then where.  
Jay: Can't really talk about it.  
Samira: I won't tell anyone.  
Samira: Dangerous?  
Jay: Not if I'm careful.  
Samira: So you'll be careful then.  
Jay: I'll be very careful.  
Samira: Will you have to shoot somebody?  
Jay: Doubt it. Not this trip.  
Samira: Could you be shot?  
Jay: Not likely. Hanged maybe.  
Samira: Is that a joke?  
Jay: What happened to separate ways?  
Samira punches him in the arm: We're past separate ways.  
Jay: Ouch. Don't hit me.  
Samira sarcastically: Don't hit me. Don't bite me.  
Jay: I came back to help you sell your half of the stones. Get you good ID. Be sure you're as safe as I can make you. Then go back to the UK. You are as safe as I can make you without my staying here with you. You have money. There are safes here and Jaipur. You have the Chaddha identity. You have a bank account. Safe Deposit box. This house. You have the flat in Jaipur. You have Nitin. Nitin's sister. You can call Sammy. You have Gale. Maybe even Jim if you need him.  
Samira: Sammy won't be with you  
Jay: Not exactly.  
Samira: What does that mean “Not exactly”.  
Jay: It means not exactly.  
Samira: Will you have a gun?  
Jay: Almost always have a gun. Usually two.  
Jay: This was nice with you. Samira, there has never been anyone like you in my life.  
Samira: Then stay.  
Jay: You know you could come back to England. You can always go to an embassy and say you've had amnesia.  
Samira: Were you going to quit whatever it is you do last year? In November. When we were here. Before I left?  
Jay: No I was going to see what happened.  
Samira: And what happened was I left.  
Jay: You left in the night with the money and the stones and a stolen scooter without saying goodbye. No explanation for why you left.  
Samira: I called. I said I was sorry. That I'd miss you.  
Jay: It wasn't enough.  
Samira: Let's go back to bed.  
Samira kisses him. Pulls him back in.  
Jay: No. It will make it harder for me to leave you.  
Samira:You could get later flights. Or we can be quick.  
Jay: No. Samira, It's hard enough for me to leave you. I want to stay. I can't this time. In November I had two or three months. Not now. I have to leave.  
Jay: I have to finish packing.  
Jay packs. Samira sits and smokes. Stares at him. Glares at him.  
Jay carries his bags down to the jeep. Puts his bags in the jeep.  
Samira pouts. Makes exasperated faces.  
Jay: You drive.  
Samira drives.  
Samira pulls in to the terminal.  
Jay: Take the jeep back when you are done with it. Okay. Promise. I mean it. I bought a scooter, I don't want to buy a jeep. You can buy a jeep here. Gale will help you. You've always wanted a jeep. Buy one. Buy a red one.  
He takes his bags out of the jeep.  
Samira: So you are coming back here in December.  
Jay: Yeah.  
Samira: That is 8 months. Can I call you, text you.  
Jay: I'll be out of touch for awhile.  
Samira: He reaches in puts his hand behind her head and kisses her.  
Samira: How can you leave me if you love me?  
Jay: Have to go back this time.  
Attendant: You must move your car immediately, Miss.  
Jay: See this is how people go separate ways. They say good-bye. They don't sneak off in the middle of the night .  
Attendant: Madam. Please move your car or I will call security.  
They ignore the attendant  
Samira looks down: You're saying good-bye to me?  
Jay: I am saying goodbye to you, my obscure object of desire. I love you, but our deal is complete. I have half the stones and we can go separate ways. I'll forgive the scooter.  
Samira: You're punishing me. Because you were hurt last November.  
Jay: Maybe.  
Samira: I thought you understood about that.  
Samira: You'll be back in December. What if I'm here?  
jay: Difficult question to answer. Deal with it if it happens. Oh yeah. No boyfriends in the beach house.  
Samira: Are you asking for a commitment? Asking me to be faithful to you? Are you going to be faithful to me?  
Jay: No. Not asking for anything or committing to anything. I'm paying for the beach house. You are welcome there. But boyfriends are not. Simple.  
Samira: How would you even know?  
Jay: I'd know.  
Attendant: Madam you must move this car. Please.  
The attendant is now begging.  
Jay kisses her again. Walks away. She sits in the jeep and watches him. Then blows a kiss to the attendant, nods and drives away.  
Samira is driving away from the airport. She pulls over, looks up. There is a plane flying over. Maybe Jay's plane, maybe not.  
Samira picks up her phone begins texting.  
Jay on the plane. Sitting stoically by the window of the plane. Eyes closed. Not asleep. Maybe praying. Jay's phone vibrates. He picks it up and looks at it.  
It's a text. The word Valentine and a heart and a Christmas tree emoji. And an octopus.

He smiles. And blocks her on his phone.  
The end of part one 109 .


End file.
